A Cross-Correlation Technique to Search for Periodic Gravitational Waves

Document #:

LIGO-G0900946-v2

Document type:

G - Presentations (eg Graphics)

Abstract:

Cross-correlation of gravitational-wave (GW) data streams has been used to search for stochastic backgrounds, and the same technique was applied to look for periodic GWs from the low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) Sco X-1. Recently a technique was developed which refines the cross-correlation scheme to take full advantage of the signal model for periodic gravitational waves from rotating neutron stars. By varying the time window over which data streams are correlated, the search can "trade off" between parameter sensitivity and computational cost. I describe this cross-corrlation method and potential applications to search LIGO and Virgo data for periodic GWs from systems with partially-known parameters, such as supernova remnants without an associated known pulsar, the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, and LMXBs.

Files in Document:

• whelan20091016.pdf (1.3 MB)

Topics:

• Continuous Wave

Authors:

• John Whelan