Formation of neutron star binaries and their importance for gravitational radiation.

The galactic formation rate of short-period neutron-star binaries is estimated to be (2.9 + or -1.6) x 10 to the -4th per yr. The probability that a massive X-ray binary will not be disrupted by the second supernova (SN) explosion is estimated to be about 0.15 on observational grounds. Either SN core collapses or the decay of neutron-star binaries is expected to be the principal source of detectable gravitational waves (GW) above 1 Hz. The proportion of GW due to SN collapses to GW due to neutron-star binaries is a very strong function of the SN core angular momentum. The frequency spectrum of detected GW events will peak on either side of 1 kHz depending on the distribution of SN core angular momenta. A sensitivity 10 to the -8th to 10 to the -10th gravitational pulse unit will be necessary for a detection rate of one event per year.