Toward Low-Latency, High-Fidelity Calibration of the LIGO Detectors with Enhanced Monitoring Tools

Abstract

Accurate and reliable calibration of the Advanced LIGO detectors has enabled a plethora of gravitational-wave discoveries in the detectors' first decade of operation, starting with the ground-breaking discovery, GW150914. In the first decade of operation, the calibrated strain data from Advanced LIGO detectors has become available at a lower latency and with more reliability. In this paper, we discuss the relevant history of Advanced LIGO calibration and introduce new tools that have been developed to enable faster and more robust calibrated strain data products in the fourth observing run (O4). We discuss improvements to the robustness, reliability, and accuracy of the low-latency calibration pipeline as well as the development of a new tool for monitoring the LIGO detector calibration in real time.