A cosmological background of gravitational waves produced by supernovae in the early Universe

Simple arguments demonstrate that the rate of supernovae within a red shift horizon z 2 is at least of the order of 10 10 per year or 1000 per second. This rate could be enhanced by more than an order of magnitude if the supernova rate in the early universe is enhanced as predicted by star formation models, metallicity observations, and the recent observations of an abundance of faint blue galaxies at high red shift. The gravitational waves from supernovae in the early universe create a continuous stochastic background. The amplitude of this background depends on the eeciency of gravitational wave production in supernovae, which in turn depends on the fraction of collapses which create neutron stars and black holes, the dynamics of the collapse, and the post collapse evolution of the system. It is shown that the stochastic supernova background is detectable by cross correlation of nearby detectors if the eeciency of gravitational wave production exceeds 10 ?5. The expected spectrum is in the frequency band well suited both laser interferometer and resonant mass detectors and cross correlation between advanced bars and interferometers provides an appropriate means of detection.