The deci-Hz gravitational wave signal from the collapse of rotating very massive stars

Abstract

We calculate the gravitational wave signal from the collapse of a rotating 300 $M_{\odot }$ star at the upper end of the pair-instability regime. The large-scale asymmetries that develop during the collapse produce a strong signal in the deci-Hz range that has a characteristic shape which is likely amenable to a template-based search. The most ambitious designs for deci-Hz detectors could detect such signals out to distances of 200 Mpc, possibly at a rate of 0.5 per year.

6 pages, 3 figures