Modeling autocorrelation-based consistency tests for gravitational wave searches

Signal consistency tests are a key element in matched-filter gravitational wave searches, allowing for rejection of glitches. For example, the GstLAL search pipeline utilizes a consistency test based on the deviation of the SNR time series from the expected autocorrelation of a template. Recent improvements in the modeling of this test results in a ~10% improvement in the sensitive volume of GstLAL to low-mass binaries like neutron stars [1]. In this talk I will review the modeling of autocorrelation-based consistency tests and describe further improvements that can be made by accounting for the mismatch between signal and matched-filter template.

[1] Tsukada et al., Phys. Rev. D 108 043004, 2023