Coincident detection significance in multimessenger astronomy
Coincident detection significance in multimessenger astronomy
We derive a Bayesian criterion for assessing whether signals observed in two separate data sets originate from a common source. The Bayes factor for a common versus unrelated origin of signals includes an overlap integral of the posterior distributions over the common-source parameters. Focusing on multimessenger gravitational-wave astronomy, we apply the method to the spatial and temporal association of independent gravitational-wave and electromagnetic (or neutrino) observations. As an example, we consider the coincidence between the recently discovered gravitational-wave signal GW170817 from a binary neutron star merger and the gamma-ray burst GRB 170817A: we find that the common-source model is enormously favored over a model describing them as unrelated signals.
gamma-ray burst: general, gravitational waves, methods: statistical, neutrinos, stars: neutron
Ashton, G.
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Burns, E.
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Canton, T. Dal
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Dent, T.
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Eggenstein, H. B.
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Nielsen, A. B.
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Prix, R.
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Was, M.
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Zhu, S. J.
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10 June 2018
Ashton, G.
a8cec4b1-3c98-4b28-af2a-1e37cb3b9f2a
Burns, E.
33add1cb-68bf-4f59-bb5b-6cba42a87ec9
Canton, T. Dal
92f3ffb7-6f81-4a2b-b94f-5b12530975e8
Dent, T.
99c69d24-f065-4bb5-930a-0df75326494c
Eggenstein, H. B.
0e92be89-415c-4df9-834b-0add54eb31e6
Nielsen, A. B.
3190828a-96eb-49b8-b439-6519a0f11526
Prix, R.
96ea3047-4071-44f4-9a9f-e9e331c61421
Was, M.
87323277-4255-4c1d-be70-06560dac2046
Zhu, S. J.
6b6e9820-5dc6-49d3-95a5-e2638c5ac33d
Ashton, G., Burns, E., Canton, T. Dal, Dent, T., Eggenstein, H. B., Nielsen, A. B., Prix, R., Was, M. and Zhu, S. J.
(2018)
Coincident detection significance in multimessenger astronomy.
Astrophysical Journal, 860 (1).
(doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aabfd2).
Abstract
We derive a Bayesian criterion for assessing whether signals observed in two separate data sets originate from a common source. The Bayes factor for a common versus unrelated origin of signals includes an overlap integral of the posterior distributions over the common-source parameters. Focusing on multimessenger gravitational-wave astronomy, we apply the method to the spatial and temporal association of independent gravitational-wave and electromagnetic (or neutrino) observations. As an example, we consider the coincidence between the recently discovered gravitational-wave signal GW170817 from a binary neutron star merger and the gamma-ray burst GRB 170817A: we find that the common-source model is enormously favored over a model describing them as unrelated signals.
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Published date: 10 June 2018
Additional Information:
Funding Information: The authors are grateful to Michael Briggs, Collin Capano, Sebastian Khan, Badri Krishnan, Francesco Pannarale, Yafet Sanchez Sanchez, Karelle Siellez, Grant Meadors, members of the LIGO and Virgo collaborations, and the referee for useful comments during the preparation of this work. E.B. and T.D.C. are supported by an appointment to the NASA Postdoctoral Program at the Goddard Space Flight Center, administered by Universities Space Research Association under contract with NASA. Publisher Copyright: © 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..
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Keywords:
gamma-ray burst: general, gravitational waves, methods: statistical, neutrinos, stars: neutron
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Local EPrints ID: 507996
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/507996
ISSN: 0004-637X
PURE UUID: 77f05e65-989a-48fa-bec3-1e5cf2e80b59
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Date deposited: 09 Jan 2026 17:40
Last modified: 10 Jan 2026 05:27
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Contributors
Author:
G. Ashton
Author:
E. Burns
Author:
T. Dal Canton
Author:
T. Dent
Author:
H. B. Eggenstein
Author:
A. B. Nielsen
Author:
R. Prix
Author:
M. Was
Author:
S. J. Zhu
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