A Search for Binary Black Hole Mergers in LIGO O1-O3 Data with Convolutional Neural Networks

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Silver, Ethan, Krastev, Plamen, Berger, Edo
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Silver, Ethan
Krastev, Plamen
Berger, Edo
author_facet Silver, Ethan
Krastev, Plamen
Berger, Edo
contents Since the first detection of gravitational waves in 2015 by LIGO from the binary black hole merger GW150914, gravitational-wave astronomy has developed significantly, with over 200 compact binary merger events cataloged. The use of neural networks has the potential to significantly speed up the detection, classification, and especially parameter estimation for gravitational wave events, compared to current techniques, quite important for electromagnetic follow-up of events. In this work, we present a machine learning pipeline using neural networks to detect gravitational wave events. We generate training data using real LIGO data to train and refine neural networks that can detect binary black hole (BBH) mergers, and apply these models to search through LIGO's first three observing runs. We detect 57 out of the 75 total cataloged BBH events with two detectors of data in O1, O2, and O3, with 57 false positives that can mostly be ruled out with parameter inference and human inspection. Finally, we extensively test this pipeline on time-shifted data to characterize its False Alarm Rate (FAR). These results are an important step in developing machine learning-based GW searches, enabling low-latency detection and multi-messenger astronomy.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_17204
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A Search for Binary Black Hole Mergers in LIGO O1-O3 Data with Convolutional Neural Networks
Silver, Ethan
Krastev, Plamen
Berger, Edo
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Since the first detection of gravitational waves in 2015 by LIGO from the binary black hole merger GW150914, gravitational-wave astronomy has developed significantly, with over 200 compact binary merger events cataloged. The use of neural networks has the potential to significantly speed up the detection, classification, and especially parameter estimation for gravitational wave events, compared to current techniques, quite important for electromagnetic follow-up of events. In this work, we present a machine learning pipeline using neural networks to detect gravitational wave events. We generate training data using real LIGO data to train and refine neural networks that can detect binary black hole (BBH) mergers, and apply these models to search through LIGO's first three observing runs. We detect 57 out of the 75 total cataloged BBH events with two detectors of data in O1, O2, and O3, with 57 false positives that can mostly be ruled out with parameter inference and human inspection. Finally, we extensively test this pipeline on time-shifted data to characterize its False Alarm Rate (FAR). These results are an important step in developing machine learning-based GW searches, enabling low-latency detection and multi-messenger astronomy.
title A Search for Binary Black Hole Mergers in LIGO O1-O3 Data with Convolutional Neural Networks
topic General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.17204