The effect of solar p and g modes on Space Laser Interferometer experiments to measure gravitational radiation

G Giampieri, A G Polnarev, I W Roxburgh and S V Vorontsov

Astronomy Unit, QMW, University of London, UK


We investigate the possibility of observing the solar oscillations associated with normal modes with proposed laser interferometer space antennas. We determine under what conditions such detectors with specific configurations would be able to observe the fluctuations of the near-zone Newtonian tidal gravitational field produced by the normal modes of the Sun. For frequencies f above 3x10-4 Hz perturbations are in the wave-zone, and the response of the interferometer could be enhanced by a factor (2 pi R f c)2, where R is the distance to the Sun, and c is the speed of light in vacuum. This raises possibility of detecting gravitational waves produced by non-stationary quadrupolar perturbations of the Sun.


Back to the Programme?