Evidence-based search method for gravitational waves from neutron star ring-downs

Clark, J., Heng, I.S., Pitkin, M. and Woan, G. (2007) Evidence-based search method for gravitational waves from neutron star ring-downs. Physical Review D, 76(4), 043003. (doi: 10.1103/PhysRevD.76.043003)

Abstract

The excitation of quadrupolar quasinormal modes in a neutron star leads to the emission of a short, distinctive, burst of gravitational radiation in the form of a decaying sinusoid or “ring-down.” We present a Bayesian analysis method which incorporates relevant prior information about the source and known instrumental artifacts to conduct a robust search for the gravitational wave emission associated with pulsar glitches and soft γ-ray repeater flares. Instrumental transients are modeled as sine-Gaussian and their evidence, or marginal likelihood, is compared with that of Gaussian white noise and ring-downs via the “odds-ratio.” Tests using simulated data with a noise spectral density similar to the LIGO interferometer around 1 kHz yield 50% detection efficiency and 1% false alarm probability for ring-down signals with signal-to-noise ratio ρ=5.2. For a source at 15 kpc this requires an energy of 1.3×10^-5M_⊙c² to be emitted as gravitational waves.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Woan, Professor Graham and Heng, Professor Ik Siong and Pitkin, Dr Matthew
• Authors: Clark, J., Heng, I.S., Pitkin, M., and Woan, G.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
• Research Centre: College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy > Institute for Gravitational Research
• Journal Name: Physical Review D
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• ISSN: 1550-7998
• ISSN (Online): 1089-4918