Spectral filtering for CW searches

In the hierarchical all-sky search method for periodic sources developed in the Virgo Collaboration, after the first incoherent step based on the Hough transform we have a number of candidates that must be analyzed using a much longer time baseline periodogram. In this step, we correct the signal power spread due to the Earth rotation, which becomes relevant for observation times greater than ∼1 sidereal day, using a bank of matched filters on the power spectrum. Describing the wave as the combination of a linearly polarized and a circularly polarized component, the spread depends on two parameters: the polarization angle of the linearly polarized wave component and the percentage of linear polarization. Here we discuss in detail the issue of how many filters must be built to properly cover the parameter space and give some implementation details of the procedure. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.