Search for Continuous Gravitational Waves: simple criterion for optimal detector networks

TL;DR

This paper presents a straightforward algebraic criterion for selecting the most sensitive detector network for all-sky searches of continuous gravitational waves, optimizing sensitivity relative to computational cost based on detector noise and duty cycles.

Contribution

It introduces a simple, noise and duty cycle-dependent criterion for optimal detector network selection, independent of computing resources, for continuous gravitational wave searches.

Findings

Optimal detector network depends only on noise levels and duty cycles.

The criterion maximizes sensitivity per computational cost.

It simplifies the network selection process for gravitational wave searches.

Abstract

We derive a simple algebraic criterion to select the optimal detector network for a coherent wide parameter-space (all-sky) search for continuous gravitational waves. Optimality in this context is defined as providing the highest (average) sensitivity per computing cost. This criterion is a direct consequence of the properties of the multi-detector F-statistic metric, which has been derived recently. Interestingly, the choice of the optimal network only depends on the noise-levels and duty-cycles of the respective detectors, and not on the available computing power.