SOAP: A generalised application of the Viterbi algorithm to searches for continuous gravitational-wave signals. (arXiv:1903.12614v1 [astro-ph.IM])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Bayley_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Joe Bayley</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Woan_G/0/1/0/all/0/1">Graham Woan</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Messenger_C/0/1/0/all/0/1">Chris Messenger</a>

All-sky and wide parameter space searches for continuous gravitational waves
are generally template-matching schemes which test a bank of signal waveforms
against data from a gravitational wave detector. Such searches can offer
optimal sensitivity for a given computing cost and signal model, but are
highly-tuned to specific signal types and are computationally expensive, even
for semi-coherent searches. We have developed a search method based on the
well-known Viterbi algorithm which is model-agnostic and has a computational
cost several orders of magnitude lower than template methods, with a modest
reduction in sensitivity. In particular, this method can search for signals
which have an unknown frequency evolution. We test the algorithm on three
simulated and real data sets: gapless Gaussian noise, Gaussian noise with gaps
and real data from the final run of initial LIGO (S6). We show that at 95%
efficiency, with a 1% false alarm rate, the algorithm has a depth sensitivity
of $sim 33$, $10$ and $13$ ,Hz$^{-1/2}$ with corresponding SNRs of $sim 60$,
$72$ and $74$ in these datasets. we discuss the use of this algorithm for
detecting a wide range of quasi-monochromatic gravitational wave signals and
instrumental lines.

All-sky and wide parameter space searches for continuous gravitational waves
are generally template-matching schemes which test a bank of signal waveforms
against data from a gravitational wave detector. Such searches can offer
optimal sensitivity for a given computing cost and signal model, but are
highly-tuned to specific signal types and are computationally expensive, even
for semi-coherent searches. We have developed a search method based on the
well-known Viterbi algorithm which is model-agnostic and has a computational
cost several orders of magnitude lower than template methods, with a modest
reduction in sensitivity. In particular, this method can search for signals
which have an unknown frequency evolution. We test the algorithm on three
simulated and real data sets: gapless Gaussian noise, Gaussian noise with gaps
and real data from the final run of initial LIGO (S6). We show that at 95%
efficiency, with a 1% false alarm rate, the algorithm has a depth sensitivity
of $sim 33$, $10$ and $13$ ,Hz$^{-1/2}$ with corresponding SNRs of $sim 60$,
$72$ and $74$ in these datasets. we discuss the use of this algorithm for
detecting a wide range of quasi-monochromatic gravitational wave signals and
instrumental lines.

http://arxiv.org/icons/sfx.gif