Neutron star oscillations and instabilities

Neutron star oscillations: bar mode instabilities

These images show the computer simulation of a rapidly spinning neutron star that is bar-like deformed by a dynamical instability. In contrast to spherical rotating masses which have no varying quadrupole moment and therefore don't emit gravitational waves, rotating bar-like mass distributions emit gravitational radiation. This radiation is even stronger the larger the mass or the faster it is spinning. Thus a rapidly spinning bar-like deformed neutron star is a strong source of gravitational waves.

Credits

© L. Baiotti (Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics), B. Giacomazzo (SISSA), L. Rezzolla (Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics & Institute for Theoretical Physics, Frankfurt)

Note: Publication of these images requires proper credits and written permission. Please contact aei_zib_images@aei.mpg.de in advance of publication.

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