Gravitational waves from neutron-star mountains
Gravitational waves from neutron-star mountains
Rotating neutron stars that support long-lived, non-axisymmetric deformations known as mountains have long been considered potential sources of gravitational radiation. However, the amplitude from such a source is very weak and current gravitational-wave interferometers have yet to witness such a signal. The lack of detections has provided upper limits on the size of the involved deformations, which are continually being constrained. With expected improvements in detector sensitivities and analysis techniques, there is good reason to anticipate an observation in the future. This review concerns the current state of the theory of neutron-star mountains. These exotic objects host the extreme regimes of modern physics, which are related to how they sustain mountains. We summarise various mechanisms that may give rise to asymmetries, including crustal strains built up during the evolutionary history of the neutron star, the magnetic field distorting the star's shape and accretion episodes gradually constructing a mountain. Moving beyond the simple rotating model, we also discuss how precession affects the dynamics and modifies the gravitational-wave signal. We describe the prospects for detection and the challenges moving forward.
Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Gittins, Fabian
657ec875-fac3-4606-9dcd-591ef22fc9f6
23 January 2024
Gittins, Fabian
657ec875-fac3-4606-9dcd-591ef22fc9f6
Gittins, Fabian
(2024)
Gravitational waves from neutron-star mountains.
Classical and Quantum Gravity, 41 (4), [043001].
(doi:10.1088/1361-6382/ad1c35).
Abstract
Rotating neutron stars that support long-lived, non-axisymmetric deformations known as mountains have long been considered potential sources of gravitational radiation. However, the amplitude from such a source is very weak and current gravitational-wave interferometers have yet to witness such a signal. The lack of detections has provided upper limits on the size of the involved deformations, which are continually being constrained. With expected improvements in detector sensitivities and analysis techniques, there is good reason to anticipate an observation in the future. This review concerns the current state of the theory of neutron-star mountains. These exotic objects host the extreme regimes of modern physics, which are related to how they sustain mountains. We summarise various mechanisms that may give rise to asymmetries, including crustal strains built up during the evolutionary history of the neutron star, the magnetic field distorting the star's shape and accretion episodes gradually constructing a mountain. Moving beyond the simple rotating model, we also discuss how precession affects the dynamics and modifies the gravitational-wave signal. We describe the prospects for detection and the challenges moving forward.
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Accepted/In Press date: 8 January 2024
Published date: 23 January 2024
Keywords:
Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 494186
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/494186
ISSN: 0264-9381
PURE UUID: f87559ec-7677-41f6-b3cc-9875ca13b308
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Date deposited: 26 Sep 2024 17:04
Last modified: 01 Oct 2024 02:05
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Fabian Gittins
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