The TAROT telescopes in the GRANDMA network to characterize the sources of gravitational waves

A new era of physics opened in 2015 with the detection of gravitational waves generated by the merging of black holes or neutron stars. The 2019-2020 gravitational wave detection campaign was led by LIGO / Virgo interferometers that discovered 56 new potential sources (already GW190814, GW190412 and GW190425). Operated by IRAP researchers, the TAROT optical telescopes searched for an optical counterpart for 47 of the 56 GW candidates in order to refine their characterization. The TAROT telescopes were used within the framework of the GRANDMA network which made it possible to coordinate the strategy of observations on a global level including a citizen science program. Analysis of the images did not show any optical source associated with the gravitational wave sources. However, the limits reached by optical observations bring constraints to the mass ejected during and after the collision. IRAP will participate in monitoring the next gravitational wave detection campaign scheduled for 2022.

Photograph of the TAROT telescope on the Reunion island turned towards the sky.

Further Resources

IRAP Contacts

More news

Unprecedented mineral and organic compounds discovered in Mars’ Jezero Crater

The Perseverance rover has uncovered sedimentary rocks containing minerals and organic matter organized into structures never before seen on Mars, opening up new perspectives on the Red Planet’s past habitability. […]

Juno identifies the missing auroral footprint of the moon Callisto at Jupiter’s poles

Since July 2016, the Juno mission orbiting Jupiter has been studying the properties and physical mechanisms of auroral imprints. A study recently published in the journal Nature Communications shows that […]

Deep long-period earthquakes discovered beneath Massif Central volcanoes

A recent study published in Geophysical Research Letters reveals atypical seismic signals beneath the volcanoes of the Massif Central. These signals, combined with the active presence of magma at depth, […]

Search