Transient Noise in LIGO Detectors: Characterization, Impact, and Mitigation Strategies

• Grant number: 25/08599-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2025
• End date: September 30, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - General Physics
• Principal Investigator: Odylio Denys de Aguiar
• Grantee: Tábata Aira Ferreira
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The main goal of this project is to characterize, investigate, and develop mitigation strategies for transient noise in the LIGO gravitational wave detectors. Such noise, also known as glitches, can resemble real astrophysical signals - such as those already detected by the LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA observatories, originating from the coalescence of black holes and neutron stars. Glitches may also occur simultaneously with actual events, increase background noise, and compromise the statistical significance of detections. The study of these disturbances is essential and represents one of the primary tasks of the Detector Characterization (DetChar) group within the LVK (LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA) collaboration.Unfortunately, the origin of most glitch classes affecting the detectors remains unknown. These signals may be related to environmental factors, seismic or anthropogenic activity near the detectors, or various instrumental causes. This proposal aims to investigate the possible sources of some glitch classes through statistical data analysis and the application of machine learning methods. The project will also involve searching for coincidences between these signals and auxiliary channels, which record data from sensors distributed throughout the observatories, with the goal of identifying clues about the origin of the glitches and, in collaboration with LIGO scientists, proposing strategies to mitigate their effects.