Detectability of gravitational wave events by spherical resonant-mass antennas

Abstract

We have calculated signal-to-noise ratios for eight spherical resonant-mass antennas interacting with gravitational radiation from inspiralling and coalescing binary neutron stars and from the dynamical and secular bar-mode instability of a rapidly rotating star. We find that by using technology that could be available in the next several years, spherical antennas can detect neutron star inspiral and coalescence at a distance of 15 Mpc and the dynamical bar-mode instability at a distance of 2 Mpc.Comment: 39 pages, 4 EPS Figures, some additional SNRs for secular instabilities, some changes to LIGO SNRs, Appendix added on the asymptotic expansion of energy sensitivity, corrected supernova rates. Results available at http://www.physics.umd.edu/rgroups/gen_rel_exp/snr.html Submitted to Phys. Rev.