TY - JOUR
T1 - Constraints on Cosmic Strings Using Data from the Third Advanced LIGO–Virgo Observing Run
AU - LIGO Scientific Collaboration
AU - Virgo Collaboration
AU - KAGRA Collaboration
AU - Abbott, R.
AU - Abbott, T.D.
AU - Abraham, S.
AU - Acernese, F.
AU - Ackley, K.
AU - Adams, A.
AU - Adams, C.
AU - Tsang, Ka Wa
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - We search for gravitational-wave signals produced by cosmic strings in the Advanced LIGO and Virgo full O3 dataset. Search results are presented for gravitational waves produced by cosmic string loop features such as cusps, kinks, and, for the first time, kink-kink collisions. A template-based search for short-duration transient signals does not yield a detection. We also use the stochastic gravitational-wave background energy density upper limits derived from the O3 data to constrain the cosmic string tension Gμ as a function of the number of kinks, or the number of cusps, for two cosmic string loop distribution models. Additionally, we develop and test a third model that interpolates between these two models. Our results improve upon the previous LIGO–Virgo constraints on Gμ by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude depending on the model that is tested. In particular, for the one-loop distribution model, we set the most competitive constraints to date: Gμ≲4×10−15. In the case of cosmic strings formed at the end of inflation in the context of grand unified theories, these results challenge simple inflationary models.
AB - We search for gravitational-wave signals produced by cosmic strings in the Advanced LIGO and Virgo full O3 dataset. Search results are presented for gravitational waves produced by cosmic string loop features such as cusps, kinks, and, for the first time, kink-kink collisions. A template-based search for short-duration transient signals does not yield a detection. We also use the stochastic gravitational-wave background energy density upper limits derived from the O3 data to constrain the cosmic string tension Gμ as a function of the number of kinks, or the number of cusps, for two cosmic string loop distribution models. Additionally, we develop and test a third model that interpolates between these two models. Our results improve upon the previous LIGO–Virgo constraints on Gμ by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude depending on the model that is tested. In particular, for the one-loop distribution model, we set the most competitive constraints to date: Gμ≲4×10−15. In the case of cosmic strings formed at the end of inflation in the context of grand unified theories, these results challenge simple inflationary models.
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.241102
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.241102
M3 - Article
SN - 0031-9007
VL - 126
JO - Physical Review Letters
JF - Physical Review Letters
IS - 24
M1 - 241102
ER -