Guiding interferometer improvements with the frequency-dependent inspiral range
Phys. Rev. D 111, 122005 – Published 30 June, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/bfs5-dq5k
Abstract
The inspiral range is the most common metric for characterizing the performance of ground-based gravitational-wave interferometers. However, there is no clear formalism for working with similar quantities that describe the frequency-dependent astrophysical sensitivity of these detectors. We introduce a metric for the cumulative normalized range of a gravitational-wave interferometer, as well as methods to compare two separate noise curves. We show how this metric is a valuable tool for understanding the impact of commissioning of these interferometers and provides increased clarity compared to other commonly used approaches.
