First all-sky search for continuous gravitational waves from unknown sources in binary systems

TL;DR

This paper reports the first all-sky search for continuous gravitational waves from unknown neutron stars in binary systems using LIGO and Virgo data, setting upper limits on gravitational wave strain across a broad parameter space.

Contribution

It introduces the TwoSpect algorithm for detecting continuous gravitational waves from unknown binary neutron stars and applies it to multiple LIGO and Virgo data sets.

Findings

No plausible gravitational wave candidates detected.

Set upper limits on gravitational wave strain, with the most sensitive being 2.3e-24 at 217 Hz.

Placed constraints on gravitational wave emission from Scorpius X-1.

Abstract

We present the first results of an all-sky search for continuous gravitational waves from unknown spinning neutron stars in binary systems using LIGO and Virgo data. Using a specially developed analysis program, the TwoSpect algorithm, the search was carried out on data from the sixth LIGO Science Run and the second and third Virgo Science Runs. The search covers a range of frequencies from 20 Hz to 520 Hz, a range of orbital periods from 2 to ~2,254 h and a frequency- and period-dependent range of frequency modulation depths from 0.277 to 100 mHz. This corresponds to a range of projected semi-major axes of the orbit from ~0.6e-3 ls to ~6,500 ls assuming the orbit of the binary is circular. While no plausible candidate gravitational wave events survive the pipeline, upper limits are set on the analyzed data. The most sensitive 95% confidence upper limit obtained on gravitational wave strain is 2.3e-24 at 217 Hz, assuming the source waves are circularly polarized. Although this search has been optimized for circular binary orbits, the upper limits obtained remain valid for orbital eccentricities as large as 0.9. In addition, upper limits are placed on continuous gravitational wave emission from the low-mass x-ray binary Scorpius X-1 between 20 Hz and 57.25 Hz.