Model Waveform Accuracy Requirements for the Allen ${\chi }^2$ Discriminator

Abstract

This paper derives accuracy standards for model gravitational waveforms required to ensure proper use of the Allen ${\chi }^2$ discriminator in gravitational wave (GW) data analysis. These standards are different from previously established requirements for detection and waveform parameter measurement based on signal-to-noise optimization. We present convenient formulae for evaluating and interpreting the contribution of model errors to measured values of this ${\chi }^2$ statistic. The new accuracy standards derived here are needed to ensure the reliability of measured values of the Allen ${\chi }^2$ statistic, both in their traditional role as vetoes and in their current role as elements in evaluating the significance of candidate detections.

5 pages, v2 revised to version to appear in Phys. Rev. D

References in corpus (6)

• Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole Merger
• Tests of general relativity with GW150914
• GW150914: First results from the search for binary black hole coalescence with Advanced LIGO
• Model Waveform Accuracy Standards for Gravitational Wave Data Analysis
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