A Low Frequency Tunable Gravitational Wave Antenna (Abstract)

Volume 20 number 1 (1991)

Casper Hossfield

Ramsey, NH

Abstract

(Abstract only) Over 300 Pulsars are known and 7 of these are binay systems. One of these, PSR 1913+16, is known to be a very clean system of two neutron stars losing orbital energy at the rate predicted by General Relativity. The energy, which is radiated as gravitational waves, may be detected by a suitable antenna. I have built and tested an antenna consisting of two 1,000-kg masses connected by a 2-m length of 0006-inch diameter piano wire under tension. The masses are suspended as pendulums having a 3-second period. The longitudinal vibration frequency of the antenna is about 0.5 Hz. The antenna is tunable by changing the length of the wire. Large changes may be made by changing the diameter of the wire.