Designing a cross-correlation search for continuous-wave gravitational radiation from a neutron star in the supernova remnant SNR 1987A

Abstract

A strategy is devised for a semicoherent cross-correlation search for a young neutron star in the supernova remnant SNR 1987A, using science data from the Initial Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (Initial LIGO) and/or Virgo detectors. An astrophysical model for the gravitational wave phase is introduced which describes the star's spin-down in terms of its magnetic field strength B and ellipticity ε, instead of its frequency derivatives. The model accurately tracks the gravitational wave phase from a rapidly decelerating neutron star under the restrictive but computationally unavoidable assumption of constant braking index, an issue which has hindered previous searches for ..