Detecting an association between gamma ray and gravitational wave bursts

If gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are accompanied by gravitational wave bursts (GWBs) the correlated output of two gravitational wave detectors evaluated in the moments just prior to a GRB will differ from that evaluated at other times. We can test for this difference without prior knowledge of either the GWB wave form or the detector noise spectrum. With a model for the GRB source population and GWB spectrum we can put a limit on the in-band rms GWB signal amplitude, Laser-Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory I detector observations coincident with 1000 GRB observations could lead us to exclude with 95% confidence associated GWBs with h(RMS) greater than or similar to 1.7 x 10(-22). [S0556-2821(99)50222-1].