Investigating Parameter Space for Resonant Stellar Absorption of Gravitational Waves
Abstract
We investigate the resonant absorption of gravitational waves (GW) by stars and related objects, to determine which stars will be the most efficient absorbers. Stars with quadrupolar oscillation modes at frequencies matching GW sources will behave as driven damped harmonic oscillators and can absorb significant amounts of energy. We compute the total energy absorbed by various types of stars as a function of mass and radius, given simplified assumptions about the mode-frequency structure of such objects. We include considerations of saturated versus unsaturated driving, and consider a wide range of binary GW sources. We will discuss optimal stellar targets for observing a luminosity increase due to absorption of GW.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #227
- Pub Date:
- January 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AAS...22740506F