On the use of higher order waveforms in the search for gravitational waves emitted by compact binary coalescences

Understand

This thesis concerns the use, in gravitational wave data analysis, of higher order waveform models of the gravitational radiation emitted by compact binary coalescences.

• We begin with an introductory chapter that includes an overview of the theory of general relativity, gravitational radiation and ground-based interferometric gravitational wave detectors.
• We then discuss, in Chapter 2, the gravitational waves emitted by compact binary coalescences, with an explanation of higher order waveforms and how they differ from leading order waveforms; we also introduce the post-Newtonian formalism.
• In Chapter 3 the method and results of a gravitational wave search for low mass compact binary coalescences using a subset of LIGO's 5th science run data are presented and in the subsequent chapter we examine how one could use higher order waveforms in such analyses.