A $\chi^2$ veto for continuous gravitational wave searches

TL;DR

This paper introduces a $ ext{chi}^2$ veto tailored for continuous gravitational wave searches, enhancing the discrimination of true signals from noise in LIGO data analysis.

Contribution

The paper develops a $ ext{chi}^2$ veto specifically adapted for Hough transform searches for continuous gravitational waves, with characterization and performance analysis.

Findings

Effective $ ext{chi}^2$ veto for narrow-band signals

Characterization of $ ext{chi}^2$-significance plane across frequency bands

Expected improved noise discrimination in LIGO analysis

Abstract

$\chi^2$ vetoes are commonly used in searching for gravitational waves, in particular for broad-band signals, but they can also be applied to narrow-band continuous wave signals, such as those expected from rapidly rotating neutron stars. In this paper we present a $\chi^2$ veto adapted to the Hough transform searches for continuous gravitational wave signals; we characterize the $\chi^2$-significance plane for different frequency bands; and discuss the expected performance of this veto in LIGO analysis.