New data imply that the average velocity of radio pulsars is large. Under the assumption that these data imply that a pulsar is born with an “intrinsic” kick, we investigate whether such kicks can be a consequence of asymmetrical stellar collapse and explosion. We calculate the gravitational wave signature of such asymmetries due to anisotropic neutrino radiation and mass motions. We predict that any recoils imparted to the neutron star at birth will result in a gravitational wave strain $h_{\mathrm{zz}}^{\mathrm{TT}}$ that does not go to zero with time. Hence, there may be “memory” in the gravitational wave form from a protoneutron star that is correlated with its recoil and neutrino emissions.

• Received 11 August 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.76.352