Data analysis of gravitational-wave signals from spinning neutron stars. II. Accuracy of estimation of parameters

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the accuracy of parameter estimation for gravitational-wave signals from spinning neutron stars using Earth-based detectors, employing Fisher matrix analysis and Monte Carlo simulations to assess measurement precision.

Contribution

It introduces comprehensive models and simulation results for estimating neutron star parameters from gravitational-wave data, including sky position, amplitude, and spin-down rates.

Findings

High accuracy in estimating neutron star parameters from gravitational-wave signals.

Effective models for data analysis independent of physical signal generation mechanisms.

Feasibility of determining neutron star proper motion from gravitational-wave observations.

Abstract

We examine the accuracy of estimation of parameters of the gravitational-wave signals from spinning neutron stars that can be achieved from observations by Earth-based laser interferometers. We consider a model of the signal consisting of two narrowband components and including both phase and amplitude modulation. We calculate approximate values of the rms errors of the parameter estimators using the Fisher information matrix. We carry out extensive Monte Carlo simulations and obtain cumulative distribution functions of rms errors of astrophysically interesting parameters: amplitude of the signal, wobble angle, position of the source in the sky, frequency, and spindown coefficients. We consider both all-sky searches and directed searches. We also examine the possibility of determination of neutron star proper motion. We perform simulations for all laser-interferometric detectors that are currently under construction and for several possible lengths of the observation time and sizes of the parameter space. We find that observations of continuous gravitational-wave signals from neutron stars by laser-interferometric detectors will provide a very accurate information about their astrophysical properties. We derive several simplified models of the signal that can be used in the theoretical investigations of the data analysis schemes independently of the physical mechanisms generating the gravitational-wave signal.