Pulsars ellipticity revised

Abstract

We derive new upper limits on the ellipticity of pulsars whose braking index has been measured, more tightening than those usually given, assuming that both a gravitational torque and an electromagnetic one act on them. We show that the measured braking indexes of pulsars are recovered in this model. We consider the electromagnetic torque both constant and varying with time. At the same time constraints on the pulsars initial period and on the amplitude of the gravitational waves emitted are obtained.