Gravitational Radiation Limit on the Spin of Young Neutron Stars
Gravitational Radiation Limit on the Spin of Young Neutron Stars
A newly discovered instability in rotating neutron stars, driven by gravitational radiation reaction acting on the stars' $r$-modes, is shown here to set an upper limit on the spin rate of young neutron stars. We calculate the timescales for growth of linear perturbations due to gravitational radiation reaction, and for …