Beating the spin-down limit on gravitational wave emission from the Crab pulsar

Authors

B. Abbott, Loyola University New Orleans
R. Abbott, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
R. Adhikari, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
P. Ajith, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute)
B. Allen, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute)
G. Allen, Southern University and A&M College
R. Amin, LIGO Livingston
S. B. Anderson, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
W. G. Anderson, The University of Western Australia
M. A. Arain, University of Birmingham
M. Araya, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
H. Armandula, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
P. Armor, The University of Western Australia
Y. Aso, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga
S. Aston, The University of Adelaide
P. Aufmuth, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics India
C. Aulbert, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute)
S. Babak, LIGO, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
S. Ballmer, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
H. Bantilan, Cardiff University
B. C. Barish, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
C. Barker, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
D. Barker, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
B. Barr, University of Florida
P. Barriga, University of Strathclyde
M. A. Barton, University of Florida
M. Bastarrika, University of Florida
K. Bayer, California Institute of Technology
J. Betzwieser, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
P. T. Beyersdorf, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
I. A. Bilenko, McNeese State University
G. Billingsley, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
R. Biswas, The University of Western Australia

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2008

Abstract

We present direct upper limits on gravitational wave emission from the Crab pulsar using data from the first 9 months of the fifth science run of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). These limits are based on two searches. In the first we assume that the gravitational wave emission follows the observed radio timing, giving an upper limit on gravitational wave emission that beats indirect limits inferred from the spin-down and braking index of the pulsar and the energetics of the nebula. In the second we allow for a small mismatch between the gravitational and radio signal frequencies and interpret our results in the context of two possible gravitational wave emission mechanisms. © 2008. The American Astronomical Society.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Astrophysical Journal

Recommended Citation

Abbott, B., Abbott, R., Adhikari, R., Ajith, P., Allen, B., Allen, G., Amin, R., Anderson, S., Anderson, W., Arain, M., Araya, M., Armandula, H., Armor, P., Aso, Y., Aston, S., Aufmuth, P., Aulbert, C., Babak, S., Ballmer, S., Bantilan, H., Barish, B., Barker, C., Barker, D., Barr, B., Barriga, P., Barton, M., Bastarrika, M., Bayer, K., Betzwieser, J., Beyersdorf, P., Bilenko, I., Billingsley, G., & Biswas, R. (2008). Beating the spin-down limit on gravitational wave emission from the Crab pulsar. Astrophysical Journal, 683 (1 PART 2) https://doi.org/10.1086/591526