Searches for gravitational wave signals which do not have a precise model describing the shape of their waveforms are often performed using power detectors based on a quadratic form of the data. A new, optimal method of generalizing these power detectors so that they operate coherently over a network of interferometers is presented. Such a mode of operation is useful in obtaining better detection efficiencies and better estimates of the position of the source of the gravitational wave signal. Numerical simulations based on a realistic, computationally efficient hierarchical implementation of the method are used to characterize its efficiency for detection and for position estimation. The method is shown to be more efficient at detecting signals than an incoherent approach based on coincidences between lists of events. It is also shown to be capable of locating the position of the source.

• Received 19 August 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.68.102005