Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-10-2016
Abstract
We present the results of the optical follow-up conducted by the TOROS collaboration of the first gravitational-wave event GW150914. We conducted unfiltered CCD observations (0.35-1 μm) with the 1.5 m telescope at Bosque Alegre starting ∼2.5 days after the alarm. Given our limited field of view (∼100 arcmin2), we targeted 14 nearby galaxies that were observable from the site and were located within the area of higher localization probability. We analyzed the observations using two independent implementations of difference-imaging algorithms, followed by a Random-Forest-based algorithm to discriminate between real and bogus transients. We did not find any bona fide transient event in the surveyed area down to a 5σ limiting magnitude of r = 21.7 mag (AB). Our result is consistent with the LIGO detection of a binary black hole merger, for which no electromagnetic counterparts are expected, and with the expected rates of other astrophysical transients.
Recommended Citation
Díaz, Mario C., Martín Beroiz, Tania Peñuela, Lucas M. Macri, Ryan J. Oelkers, Wenlong Yuan, Diego García Lambas et al. "GW150914: First search for the electromagnetic counterpart of a gravitational-wave event by the TOROS collaboration." The Astrophysical Journal Letters 828, no. 2 (2016): L16. http://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8205/828/2/L16
Publication Title
Astrophysical Journal Letters
DOI
10.3847/2041-8205/828/2/L16
Comments
© Astrophysical Journal Letters. Original version available at: http://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8205/828/2/L16