Gravitational Radiation from Nonaxisymmetric Instability in a Rotating Star

Abstract

We present the first calculations of the gravitational radiation produced by nonaxisymmetric dynamical instability in a rapidly rotating compact star. The star deforms into a bar shape, shedding $\sim 4\%$ of its mass and $\sim 17\%$ of its angular momentum. The gravitational radiation is calculated in the quadrupole approximation. For a mass $M\sim 1.4$ M${}_{\odot }$ and radius $R\sim 10$ km, the gravitational waves have frequency $\sim 4$ kHz and amplitude $h\sim 2\times 10^{-22}$ at the distance of the Virgo Cluster. They carry off energy $\Delta E/M\sim 0.1\%$ and radiate angular momentum $\Delta J/J\sim 0.7\%$.

16 pages, LaTeX with REVTEX macros, reprints available - send mailing address to [email protected]. Published: PRL 72, 1314 (1994)