AI 中文总结
本文综述第四轮LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA观测运行的引力波探测成果，含约100个新探测结果，通过群体分析揭示源亚群证据，为天体物理研究提供独特探针，未来将发布最终目录并开展更高灵敏度观测。
AI 中文摘要
过去十年，引力波科学已从单次探测就能斩获诺贝尔奖的时代，发展为近乎日常的事件。LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA（LVK）合作组的旗舰科学成果如今是其探测目录，包含表征源天体物理性质的全套分析结果，以及这些结果对基础物理学和宇宙学的启示。本文综述LVK网络第四轮观测运行（O4）的发现。最新目录各包含约100个新探测结果，其中有显著的单次发现：迄今探测到的最响亮信号，以及与以往不同的源。不过，该领域的重大进展来自群体水平分析，利用不断增长的样本量推断对并合致密双星的天体物理分布、广义相对论的潜在偏离，以及宇宙膨胀率的约束。对最新数据的分析揭示了多个源亚群的证据。这些观测为大质量恒星的演化和并合双星的形成提供了独特的探测手段。随着更多观测，我们对引力波信号及其源的理解将不断加深。O4的最终目录预计于2026年12月发布，未来计划开展探测器灵敏度更高的观测运行，这些运行将带来更大的目录和更多响亮信号，持续推动引力波科学的发展。
英文摘要
Over the last decade, gravitational-wave science has developed from an era where a single detection was a Nobel-winning achievement to an (almost) everyday occurrence. The LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) Collaboration's flagship scientific results are now their catalogues of detections, which include a comprehensive set of analysis results characterising the astrophysical properties of sources, and their implications for fundamental physics and cosmology. We review discoveries from the fourth observing run (O4) of the LVK network. The most recent catalogues each include $\sim100$ new detections. Among these new detections are remarkable single discoveries: the loudest signals detected so far, and sources unlike those seen before. However, significant advances in the field are coming from population-level analyses, leveraging the increasing sample size to infer constraints on the astrophysical distribution of merging compact binaries, potential deviations to general relativity, and the expansion rate of the Universe. Analyses of the latest data have revealed evidence for multiple subpopulations of sources. These observations provide a unique probe into the evolution of massive stars and the formation of coalescing binaries. Our understanding of gravitational-wave signals and their sources will continue to deepen with more observations. The final catalogue from O4}is due for release in December 2026, and future observing runs with even greater detector sensitivity are planned. These will bring even larger catalogues, and additional loud signals, continuing to advance gravitational-wave science.
Comments10 pages, 4 figures; submitted awaiting peer review
