Gravitational wave background from binary systems
Abstract
Basic aspects of the background of gravitational waves and its mathematical characterization are reviewed. The spectral energy density parameter {Omega}(f), commonly used as a quantifier of the background, is derived for an ensemble of many identical sources emitting at different times and locations. For such an ensemble, {Omega}(f) is generalized to account for the duration of the signals and of the observation, so that one can distinguish the resolvable and unresolvable parts of the background. The unresolvable part, often called confusion noise or stochastic background, is made by signals that cannot be either individually identified or subtracted out of the data. To account for the resolvability of the background, the overlap function is introduced. This function is a generalization of the duty cycle, which has been commonly used in the literature, in some cases leading to incorrect results. The spectra produced by binary systems (stellar binaries and massive black hole binaries) are presented over the frequencies of all existing and planned detectors. A semi-analytical formula for {Omega}(f) is derived in the case of stellar binaries (containing white dwarfs, neutron stars or stellar-mass black holes). Besides a realistic expectation of the level of background, upper and lower limits are given, tomore »
- Authors:
-
- Albert Einstein Institute, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, 30167 Hannover (Germany)
- Publication Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 21607888
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal Name:
- Physical Review. D, Particles Fields
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 84; Journal Issue: 8; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.84.084004; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0556-2821
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; ASTROPHYSICS; BINARY STARS; BLACK HOLES; ENERGY DENSITY; FREQUENCY RANGE; GRAVITATIONAL WAVES; MASS; NEUTRON STARS; SPECTRA; STOCHASTIC PROCESSES; TELESCOPES; WHITE DWARF STARS; DWARF STARS; PHYSICS; STARS
Citation Formats
Rosado, Pablo A. Gravitational wave background from binary systems. United States: N. p., 2011.
Web. doi:10.1103/PHYSREVD.84.084004.
Rosado, Pablo A. Gravitational wave background from binary systems. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.84.084004
Rosado, Pablo A. 2011.
"Gravitational wave background from binary systems". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.84.084004.
@article{osti_21607888,
title = {Gravitational wave background from binary systems},
author = {Rosado, Pablo A},
abstractNote = {Basic aspects of the background of gravitational waves and its mathematical characterization are reviewed. The spectral energy density parameter {Omega}(f), commonly used as a quantifier of the background, is derived for an ensemble of many identical sources emitting at different times and locations. For such an ensemble, {Omega}(f) is generalized to account for the duration of the signals and of the observation, so that one can distinguish the resolvable and unresolvable parts of the background. The unresolvable part, often called confusion noise or stochastic background, is made by signals that cannot be either individually identified or subtracted out of the data. To account for the resolvability of the background, the overlap function is introduced. This function is a generalization of the duty cycle, which has been commonly used in the literature, in some cases leading to incorrect results. The spectra produced by binary systems (stellar binaries and massive black hole binaries) are presented over the frequencies of all existing and planned detectors. A semi-analytical formula for {Omega}(f) is derived in the case of stellar binaries (containing white dwarfs, neutron stars or stellar-mass black holes). Besides a realistic expectation of the level of background, upper and lower limits are given, to account for the uncertainties in some astrophysical parameters such as binary coalescence rates. One interesting result concerns all current and planned ground-based detectors (including the Einstein Telescope). In their frequency range, the background of binaries is resolvable and only sporadically present. In other words, there is no stochastic background of binaries for ground-based detectors.},
doi = {10.1103/PHYSREVD.84.084004},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21607888},
journal = {Physical Review. D, Particles Fields},
issn = {0556-2821},
number = 8,
volume = 84,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011},
month = {Sat Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011}
}