Narrow-band search of continuous gravitational-wave signals from Crab and Vela pulsars in Virgo VSR4 data

Document #:

LIGO-P1400045-v27

Document type:

P - Publications

Abstract:

In this paper we present results of a coherent narrow-band search for continuous gravitational-wave signals from the Crab and Vela pulsars conducted on Virgo VSR4 data. In order to take into account a possible small mismatch between the gravitational wave frequency and two times the star rotation frequency, inferred from measurement of the electromagnetic pulse rate, a range of 0.02 Hz around two times the star rotational frequency has been searched for both the pulsars. No evidence for a signal has been found and upper limits have been computed both assuming polarization parameters are completely unknown and that they are known with some uncertainty, as derived from x-ray observations of the pulsar wind torii. For Vela the upper limits are comparable to the spin-down limit, computed assuming that all the observed spin-down is due to the emission of gravitational waves. For Crab the upper limits are about a factor of two below the spin-down limit, and represent a significant improvement with respect to past analysis. This is the first time the spin-down limit is significantly overcome in a narrow-band search.

Files in Document:

• narrowband_observational.pdf (496.8 kB)

Topics:

• Continuous Wave

Author Groups:

• LVC
• LSC

Publication Information:

The paper is also accessible at http://arxiv.org/abs/1410.8310

The science summary of the analysis is available at http://www.ligo.org/science/Publication-VSR4PulsarNarrowband/index.php