Joint LIGO and TAMA300 Search for Gravitational Waves from Inspiralling Neutron Star Binaries

TL;DR

This paper reports a joint search for gravitational waves from inspiralling neutron star binaries using LIGO and TAMA300 data, setting upper limits on event rates and developing methods for future network analyses.

Contribution

It introduces a coincidence search method for joint LIGO and TAMA300 data and establishes an observational upper limit on neutron star binary coalescence rates.

Findings

No gravitational wave signals detected.

Upper limit on coalescence rate is 49 per year per galaxy.

Developed methods applicable to future gravitational wave searches.

Abstract

We search for coincident gravitational wave signals from inspiralling neutron star binaries using LIGO and TAMA300 data taken during early 2003. Using a simple trigger exchange method, we perform an inter-collaboration coincidence search during times when TAMA300 and only one of the LIGO sites were operational. We find no evidence of any gravitational wave signals. We place an observational upper limit on the rate of binary neutron star coalescence with component masses between 1 and 3 M_sun of 49 per year per Milky Way equivalent galaxy at a 90% confidence level. The methods developed during this search will find application in future network inspiral analyses.