To determine the polarization character of gravitational waves, we use strain data from the GW170814 binary black hole coalescence event detected by the three LIGO-Virgo observatories, extracting the gravitational wave (GW) strain signal amplitude ratios and phase differences directly from those data. Employing a geometric approach that links those ratios and phase differences to the GW polarization properties, we find that there is a range of source sky locations, close to the LIGI-Virgo 90% credible range of GW170814 source locations, for which vector polarization is consistent with the observed amplitude ratios and phase differences. A Bayesian inference analysis indicates that the GW170814 data cannot rule out vector polarization for gravitational waves. We suggest a plausible explanation of why the LIGO-Virgo collaboration came to the opposite conclusion. Scalar polarization, however, is ruled out by the data. Confirmation of a vector polarization component of gravitational waves would be a sign of post-general-relativity physics.

为了确定引力波的极化特性，我们使用来自三个 LIGO-Virgo 天文台探测到的 GW170814 双黑洞合并事件的应变数据，直接从这些数据中提取引力波 (GW) 应变信号幅度比和相位差。采用几何方法将这些比率和相位差与 GW 极化特性联系起来，我们发现有一系列源天空位置，靠近 LIGI-Virgo GW170814 源位置的 90% 可信范围，对于这些位置，矢量极化是一致的与观察到的幅度比和相位差。贝叶斯推理分析表明，GW170814 数据不能排除引力波的矢量极化。我们对 LIGO-Virgo 合作得出相反结论的原因提出了一个合理的解释。然而，数据排除了标量极化。引力波矢量极化分量的确认将是后广义相对论物理学的标志。