The Search for Gravitational Wave EM Counterparts with Swift
Abstract
We present the plan to search for electromagnetic counterparts of Gravitational Waves (GWs) discovered during the current and upcoming runs of the LIGO and Virgo detectors. As we enter a period where the sensitivity of the current generation of GW detectors approaches a high probability of the first detection of a real GW signal, confirmation of the reality of these triggers will be greatly improved if an EM counterpart can be found. Swift’s ability to rapidly respond to high priority target-of-opportunity observations, it’s multi-wavelength capabilities and low overhead observing make it a seemingly ideal follow-up facility. However comparing the size of the expected GW error regions with the fields of view of the Swift XRT and UVOT telescopes, we find that covering the large GW error regions would require a unreasonably large number of pointings. We present our method of meeting this challenge, by both reducing the problem using Galaxy targeting, and by operating Swift in an entirely new way in order to cover the still large number of fields needed to chase down the EM counterpart before it disappears.
- Publication:
-
AAS/High Energy Astrophysics Division #15
- Pub Date:
- April 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016HEAD...1511301K