Search for Continuous Gravitational Waves from Known Pulsars in the First Part of the Fourth LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Observing Run

authored by: The LIGO Scientific Collaboration , the KAGRA Collaboration , The Virgo Collaboration , N. Bode, M. Brinkmann, M. Carlassara, P. Chakraborty, K. Danzmann, M. Heurs, N. Johny, N. Knust, J. Lehmann, H. Lück, M. Matiushechkina, M. Nery, B. W. Schulte, H. Vahlbruch, D. Wilken, B. Willke, D. S. Wu, Fabio Bergamin, Aparna Bisht, Phillip Booker, Andreas Borchers, Eike Brockmüller, Jonathan Carter, Shrobana Ghosh, S. Hochheim, Wolfgang Kastaun, Fawad Khan, Volker Kringel, Kristopher Kruska, G. Kuehn, James Lough, R. R. Maciy, Fabian Meylahn, S. L. Nadji, F. Ohme, G. Pascale, M. Schneewind, B. F. Schutz, J. Venneberg, J. von Wrangel, Michael Weinert, F. Wellmann, Peter Weßels
Abstract: Continuous gravitational waves (CWs) emission from neutron stars carries information about their internal structure and equation of state, and it can provide tests of general relativity. We present a search for CWs from a set of 45 known pulsars in the first part of the fourth LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA observing run, known as O4a. We conducted a targeted search for each pulsar using three independent analysis methods considering single-harmonic and dual-harmonic emission models. We find no evidence of a CW signal in O4a data for both models and set upper limits on the signal amplitude and on the ellipticity, which quantifies the asymmetry in the neutron star mass distribution. For the single-harmonic emission model, 29 targets have the upper limit on the amplitude below the theoretical spin-down limit. The lowest upper limit on the amplitude is 6.4 × 10^-27 for the young energetic pulsar J0537-6910, while the lowest constraint on the ellipticity is 8.8 × 10^-9 for the bright nearby millisecond pulsar J0437-4715. Additionally, for a subset of 16 targets, we performed a narrowband search that is more robust regarding the emission model, with no evidence of a signal. We also found no evidence of nonstandard polarizations as predicted by the Brans-Dicke theory.
Organisation(s): Institute of Artificial Intelligence
QuantumFrontiers
Institute of Gravitation Physics
Institute of Motion Engineering and Mechanism Design
External Organisation(s): Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute)
German National Library of Science and Technology (TIB)
Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH)
Type: Article
Journal: Astrophysical Journal
Volume: 983
ISSN: 0004-637X
Publication date: 20.04.2025
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Astronomy and Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb3a0 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{968ddb9437fa43f9851d7ec8d9ae871e,
title = "Search for Continuous Gravitational Waves from Known Pulsars in the First Part of the Fourth LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Observing Run",
abstract = "Continuous gravitational waves (CWs) emission from neutron stars carries information about their internal structure and equation of state, and it can provide tests of general relativity. We present a search for CWs from a set of 45 known pulsars in the first part of the fourth LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA observing run, known as O4a. We conducted a targeted search for each pulsar using three independent analysis methods considering single-harmonic and dual-harmonic emission models. We find no evidence of a CW signal in O4a data for both models and set upper limits on the signal amplitude and on the ellipticity, which quantifies the asymmetry in the neutron star mass distribution. For the single-harmonic emission model, 29 targets have the upper limit on the amplitude below the theoretical spin-down limit. The lowest upper limit on the amplitude is 6.4 × 10-27 for the young energetic pulsar J0537-6910, while the lowest constraint on the ellipticity is 8.8 × 10-9 for the bright nearby millisecond pulsar J0437-4715. Additionally, for a subset of 16 targets, we performed a narrowband search that is more robust regarding the emission model, with no evidence of a signal. We also found no evidence of nonstandard polarizations as predicted by the Brans-Dicke theory.",
author = "{The LIGO Scientific Collaboration} and {the KAGRA Collaboration} and {The Virgo Collaboration} and N. Bode and M. Brinkmann and M. Carlassara and P. Chakraborty and K. Danzmann and M. Heurs and N. Johny and N. Knust and J. Lehmann and H. L{\"u}ck and M. Matiushechkina and M. Nery and Schulte, {B. W.} and H. Vahlbruch and D. Wilken and B. Willke and Wu, {D. S.} and Fabio Bergamin and Aparna Bisht and Phillip Booker and Andreas Borchers and Eike Brockm{\"u}ller and Jonathan Carter and Shrobana Ghosh and S. Hochheim and Wolfgang Kastaun and Fawad Khan and Volker Kringel and Kristopher Kruska and G. Kuehn and James Lough and Maciy, {R. R.} and Fabian Meylahn and Nadji, {S. L.} and F. Ohme and G. Pascale and M. Schneewind and Schutz, {B. F.} and J. Venneberg and {von Wrangel}, J. and Michael Weinert and F. Wellmann and Peter We{\ss}els",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.",
year = "2025",
month = apr,
day = "20",
doi = "10.3847/1538-4357/adb3a0",
language = "English",
volume = "983",
journal = "Astrophysical Journal",
issn = "0004-637X",
publisher = "American Astronomical Society",
number = "2",
}

Publication Details

Search for Continuous Gravitational Waves from Known Pulsars in the First Part of the Fourth LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Observing Run

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