Elastic rods and elastic spinning rings as gravitational wave detectors

Abstract Linearised relativistic elasticity equations of motion are considered for a rod and a spinning ring encountering a gravitational wave. In the case of the rod, the equations reduce to a wave equation with appropriate boundary conditions. Using Fourier transforms, the resonant frequencies are found and an explicit distributional solution is given, both for a plus- and a cross-polarised gravitational wave. In the case of the spinning ring, the equations are coupled wave equations with periodic boundary conditions. Using a Fourier series expansion, the system of wave equations is recast as a family of ordinary differential equations for the Fourier coefficients, which are then solved via Fourier transforms. The resonant frequencies are found, including simple approximate expressions for slowly rotating rings, and an explicit distributional solution is obtained in the case of the non-spinning ring. Interestingly, it is possible to tune the resonant frequencies by adjusting the angular velocity of the spinning ring.