First Search for Nontensorial Gravitational Waves from Known Pulsars

Authors

B. P. Abbott
Teviet Creighton, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Mario C. Diaz, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
S. R. Morriss, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Marc E. Normandin, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Volker Quetschke, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Malik Rakhmanov, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Karla E. Ramirez, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Robert Stone, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Darkhan Tuyenbayev, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Guillermo Valdes, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-19-2018

Abstract

We present results from the first directed search for nontensorial gravitational waves. While general relativity allows for tensorial (plus and cross) modes only, a generic metric theory may, in principle, predict waves with up to six different polarizations. This analysis is sensitive to continuous signals of scalar, vector, or tensor polarizations, and does not rely on any specific theory of gravity. After searching data from the first observation run of the advanced LIGO detectors for signals at twice the rotational frequency of 200 known pulsars, we find no evidence of gravitational waves of any polarization. We report the first upper limits for scalar and vector strains, finding values comparable in magnitude to previously published limits for tensor strain. Our results may be translated into constraints on specific alternative theories of gravity.

Comments

© Physical Review Letters. Original version available at: http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.031104

Recommended Citation

Abbott, Benjamin P., Robert Abbott, Thomas D. Abbott, Fausto Acernese, Kendall Ackley, Carl Adams, Thomas Adams et al. "First search for nontensorial gravitational waves from known pulsars." Physical review letters 120, no. 3 (2018): 031104. http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.031104

Publication Title

Physical Review Letters

DOI

http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.031104