Stochastic background of gravitational waves generated by a cosmological population of young, rapidly rotating neutron stars
Abstract
We estimate the spectral properties of the stochastic background of gravitational radiation emitted by a cosmological population of hot, young, rapidly rotating neutron stars. Their formation rate as a function of redshift is deduced from an observation-based determination of the star formation history in the Universe, and the gravitational energy is assumed to be radiated during the spin-down phase associated with the newly discovered r-mode instability. We calculate the overall signal produced by the ensemble of such neutron stars, assuming various cosmological backgrounds. We find that the spectral strain amplitude has a maximum ~ (2-4)x 10^-26Hz^-1/2 , at frequencies ~ (30-60) Hz, while the corresponding closure density, h^2 Ο_GW, has a maximum amplitude plateau of ~ (2.2-3.3) x 10^-8 in the frequency range (500-1700) Hz. We compare our results with a preliminary analysis done by Owen et al., and discuss the detectability of this background.
- Publication:
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- February 1999
- DOI:
- 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1999.02207.x
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/9806357
- Bibcode:
- 1999MNRAS.303..258F
- Keywords:
-
- GRAVITATION;
- STARS: FORMATION;
- STARS: NEUTRON;
- Astrophysics;
- General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
- E-Print:
- 8 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS