First Search for Gravitational Wave Bursts with a Network of Detectors

Abstract

We report the initial results from a search for bursts of gravitational radiation by a network of five cryogenic resonant detectors during 1997 and 1998. This is the first significant search with more than two detectors observing simultaneously. No gravitational wave burst was detected. The false alarm rate was lower than 1 per ${10}^4$ yr when three or more detectors were operating simultaneously. The typical threshold was $H\simeq 4\times {10}^{-21\mathrm{}}{\mathrm{Hz}}^{-1\mathrm{}}$ on the Fourier component at $\sim {10}^3\mathrm{Hz}$ of the gravitational wave strain amplitude. New upper limits for amplitude and rate of gravitational wave bursts have been set.