Prospects for the Observation of Continuous Gravitational Waves from Spinning Neutron Stars Lensed by the Galactic Supermassive Black Hole

We study the prospects of detecting continuous gravitational waves (CGWs) from spinning neutron stars (NSs), gravitationally lensed by the galactic supermassive black hole. Assuming various astrophysically motivated spatial distributions of galactic NSs, we find that CGW signals from a few (∼0–6) ne...

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Main Authors: Soummyadip Basak, Aditya Kumar Sharma, Shasvath J. Kapadia, Parameswaran Ajith
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2023-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acab50
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author Soummyadip Basak
Aditya Kumar Sharma
Shasvath J. Kapadia
Parameswaran Ajith
author_facet Soummyadip Basak
Aditya Kumar Sharma
Shasvath J. Kapadia
Parameswaran Ajith
author_sort Soummyadip Basak
collection DOAJ
description We study the prospects of detecting continuous gravitational waves (CGWs) from spinning neutron stars (NSs), gravitationally lensed by the galactic supermassive black hole. Assuming various astrophysically motivated spatial distributions of galactic NSs, we find that CGW signals from a few (∼0–6) neutron stars should be strongly lensed. Lensing will produce two copies of the signal (with time delays of seconds to minutes) that will interfere with each other. The relative motion of the NS with respect to the lensing optical axis will change the interference pattern, which will help us to identify a lensed signal. Accounting for the magnifications and time delays of the lensed signals, we investigate their detectability by ground-based detectors. Modeling the spin distribution of NSs based on that of known pulsars and assuming an ellipticity of ϵ = 10 ^−7 , lensed CGWs are unlikely to be detectable by LIGO and Virgo in realistic searches involving ${ \mathcal O }({10}^{12})$ templates. However, third-generation detectors have a ∼2%–51% probability of detecting at least one lensed CGW signal. For an ellipticity of ϵ = 10 ^−8 , the detection probability reduces to ∼0%–18%. Though rare, such an observation will enable interesting probes of the supermassive black hole and its environment.
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spelling doaj.art-f7204c94d27047a6b28e25fb48c9394d2023-09-03T13:08:51ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052023-01-019422L3110.3847/2041-8213/acab50Prospects for the Observation of Continuous Gravitational Waves from Spinning Neutron Stars Lensed by the Galactic Supermassive Black HoleSoummyadip Basak0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1824-3292Aditya Kumar Sharma1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0067-346XShasvath J. Kapadia2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5318-1253Parameswaran Ajith3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7519-2439International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research , Bangalore 560089, India ; aditya.sharma@icts.res.inInternational Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research , Bangalore 560089, India ; aditya.sharma@icts.res.inInternational Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research , Bangalore 560089, India ; aditya.sharma@icts.res.inInternational Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research , Bangalore 560089, India ; aditya.sharma@icts.res.in; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research , CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar, MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, CanadaWe study the prospects of detecting continuous gravitational waves (CGWs) from spinning neutron stars (NSs), gravitationally lensed by the galactic supermassive black hole. Assuming various astrophysically motivated spatial distributions of galactic NSs, we find that CGW signals from a few (∼0–6) neutron stars should be strongly lensed. Lensing will produce two copies of the signal (with time delays of seconds to minutes) that will interfere with each other. The relative motion of the NS with respect to the lensing optical axis will change the interference pattern, which will help us to identify a lensed signal. Accounting for the magnifications and time delays of the lensed signals, we investigate their detectability by ground-based detectors. Modeling the spin distribution of NSs based on that of known pulsars and assuming an ellipticity of ϵ = 10 ^−7 , lensed CGWs are unlikely to be detectable by LIGO and Virgo in realistic searches involving ${ \mathcal O }({10}^{12})$ templates. However, third-generation detectors have a ∼2%–51% probability of detecting at least one lensed CGW signal. For an ellipticity of ϵ = 10 ^−8 , the detection probability reduces to ∼0%–18%. Though rare, such an observation will enable interesting probes of the supermassive black hole and its environment.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acab50Strong gravitational lensingGravitational wavesGeneral relativityGravitational wave astronomyGravitational wave sourcesNeutron stars
spellingShingle Soummyadip Basak
Aditya Kumar Sharma
Shasvath J. Kapadia
Parameswaran Ajith
Prospects for the Observation of Continuous Gravitational Waves from Spinning Neutron Stars Lensed by the Galactic Supermassive Black Hole
The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Strong gravitational lensing
Gravitational waves
General relativity
Gravitational wave astronomy
Gravitational wave sources
Neutron stars
title Prospects for the Observation of Continuous Gravitational Waves from Spinning Neutron Stars Lensed by the Galactic Supermassive Black Hole
title_full Prospects for the Observation of Continuous Gravitational Waves from Spinning Neutron Stars Lensed by the Galactic Supermassive Black Hole
title_fullStr Prospects for the Observation of Continuous Gravitational Waves from Spinning Neutron Stars Lensed by the Galactic Supermassive Black Hole
title_full_unstemmed Prospects for the Observation of Continuous Gravitational Waves from Spinning Neutron Stars Lensed by the Galactic Supermassive Black Hole
title_short Prospects for the Observation of Continuous Gravitational Waves from Spinning Neutron Stars Lensed by the Galactic Supermassive Black Hole
title_sort prospects for the observation of continuous gravitational waves from spinning neutron stars lensed by the galactic supermassive black hole
topic Strong gravitational lensing
Gravitational waves
General relativity
Gravitational wave astronomy
Gravitational wave sources
Neutron stars
url https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acab50
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AT shasvathjkapadia prospectsfortheobservationofcontinuousgravitationalwavesfromspinningneutronstarslensedbythegalacticsupermassiveblackhole
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