scholarly journals Timing of binary pulsars and the search for the low-frequency gravitational waves

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (H15) ◽  
pp. 234-234
Author(s):  
Vladimir A. Potapov ◽  
Sergei M. Kopeikin

AbstractMillisecond and binary pulsars are the most stable natural standards of astronomical time giving us a unique opportunity to search for gravitational waves (GW) and to test General Relativity. GWs from violent events in early Universe and from the ensemble of galactic and extragalactic objects perturb propagation of radio pulses from a pulsar to observer bringing about stochastic fluctuations in the times of arrival of the pulses (TOA). If one observes the pulsar over a sufficiently long time span, the fluctuations will be registered as a low-frequency, correlated noise affecting the timing residuals in the frequency range 10−12 ÷ 10−7 Hz. This work demonstrates how the standard procedure of processing of the pulsar timing data can bias the estimate of the upper limit on the density of the GW background (GWB).

2019 ◽  
Vol 490 (4) ◽  
pp. 4666-4687 ◽  
Author(s):  
B B P Perera ◽  
M E DeCesar ◽  
P B Demorest ◽  
M Kerr ◽  
L Lentati ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT In this paper, we describe the International Pulsar Timing Array second data release, which includes recent pulsar timing data obtained by three regional consortia: the European Pulsar Timing Array, the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves, and the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array. We analyse and where possible combine high-precision timing data for 65 millisecond pulsars which are regularly observed by these groups. A basic noise analysis, including the processes which are both correlated and uncorrelated in time, provides noise models and timing ephemerides for the pulsars. We find that the timing precisions of pulsars are generally improved compared to the previous data release, mainly due to the addition of new data in the combination. The main purpose of this work is to create the most up-to-date IPTA data release. These data are publicly available for searches for low-frequency gravitational waves and other pulsar science.


2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (01) ◽  
pp. 1341008 ◽  
Author(s):  
BHAL CHANDRA JOSHI

In the last decade, the use of an ensemble of radio pulsars to constrain the characteristic strain caused by a stochastic gravitational wave background has advanced the cause of detection of very low frequency gravitational waves (GWs) significantly. This electromagnetic means of GW detection, called Pulsar Timing Array (PTA), is reviewed in this paper. The principle of operation of PTA, the current operating PTAs and their status are presented along with a discussion of the main challenges in the detection of GWs using PTA.


In addition to being fascinating objects to study in their own right, pulsars are exquisite tools for probing a variety of issues in basic physics. Recycled pulsars, thought to have been spun up in previous episodes of mass accretion from orbiting companion stars, are especially well suited for such applications. They are extraordinarily stable clocks, approaching and perhaps exceeding the long-term stabilities of the best terrestrial time standards. Most of them are found in binary systems, with orbital velocities as large as 10 -3 c. They provide unique opportunities for measuring neutron star masses, thereby yielding fundamental astrophysical data difficult to acquire by any other means. And they open the way for high precision tests of the nature of gravity under conditions much more ‘relativistic ’ than found anywhere within the Solar System. Among other results, pulsar timing observations have convincingly established the existence of quadrupolar gravitational waves propagating at the speed of light. They have also placed interesting limits on possible departures of the strong-field nature of gravity from general relativity, on the rate of change of Newton’s constant, G , and on the energy density of low-frequency gravitational waves in the universe.


Symmetry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2418
Author(s):  
Michele Maiorano ◽  
Francesco De Paolis ◽  
Achille A. Nucita

Pulsar timing uses the highly stable pulsar spin period to investigate many astrophysical topics. In particular, pulsar timing arrays make use of a set of extremely well-timed pulsars and their time correlations as a challenging detector of gravitational waves. It turns out that pulsar timing arrays are particularly sensitive to ultra-low-frequency gravitational waves, which makes them complementary to other gravitational-wave detectors. Here, we summarize the basics, focusing especially on supermassive black-hole binaries and cosmic strings, which have the potential to form a stochastic gravitational-wave background in the pulsar timing array detection band, and the scientific goals on this challenging topic. We also briefly outline the recent interesting results of the main pulsar timing array collaborations, which have found strong evidence of a common-spectrum process compatible with a stochastic gravitational-wave background and mention some new perspectives that are particularly interesting in view of the forthcoming radio observatories such as the Five hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, the MeerKAT telescope, and the Square Kilometer Array.


Author(s):  
Caterina Tiburzi

AbstractPulsar Timing Array experiments exploit the clock-like behaviour of an array of millisecond pulsars, with the goal of detecting low-frequency gravitational waves. Pulsar Timing Array experiments have been in operation over the last decade, led by groups in Europe, Australia, and North America. These experiments use the most sensitive radio telescopes in the world, extremely precise pulsar timing models and sophisticated detection algorithms to increase the sensitivity of Pulsar Timing Arrays. No detection of gravitational waves has been made to date with this technique, but Pulsar Timing Array upper limits already contributed to rule out some models of galaxy formation. Moreover, a new generation of radio telescopes, such as the Five hundred metre Aperture Spherical Telescope and, in particular, the Square Kilometre Array, will offer a significant improvement to the Pulsar Timing Array sensitivity. In this article, we review the basic concepts of Pulsar Timing Array experiments, and discuss the latest results from the established Pulsar Timing Array collaborations.


1996 ◽  
Vol 160 ◽  
pp. 132
Author(s):  
Rachel J. Dewey ◽  
Stephen E. Thorsett

AbstractA low-frequency, stochastic gravitational radiation background can be detected through the irregularities it induces in pulsar arrival times. In this poster we re-examine pulsar timing data presented in Kaspi, Taylor and Ryba (1994) [Ap.J.,428, p. 713] and present an optimal statistical framework for using timing data from a single pulsar to constrain the energy density in a gravitational wave background. Observations of PSRB1855+09 yield an upper limit (95% confidence) 1.0 × 10−8or (90% confidence) 4.8 × 10−9of the closure density at frequency 4.4 × 10−9Hz. This result probably rules out cosmological models that use cosmic strings as seeds for galaxy formation. Using combined observations of the orbital decay of four binary pulsars we also derive weaker limits at frequencies as low as 10−12Hz.


2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. B. Hobbs ◽  
M. Bailes ◽  
N. D. R. Bhat ◽  
S. Burke-Spolaor ◽  
D. J. Champion ◽  
...  

AbstractThe first direct detection of gravitational waves may be made through observations of pulsars. The principal aim of pulsar timing-array projects being carried out worldwide is to detect ultra-low frequency gravitational waves (f ∼ 10−9–10−8 Hz). Such waves are expected to be caused by coalescing supermassive binary black holes in the cores of merged galaxies. It is also possible that a detectable signal could have been produced in the inflationary era or by cosmic strings. In this paper, we review the current status of the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array project (the only such project in the Southern hemisphere) and compare the pulsar timing technique with other forms of gravitational-wave detection such as ground- and space-based interferometer systems.


2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S291) ◽  
pp. 178-178
Author(s):  
Justin Ellis ◽  
Fredrick Jenet ◽  
Xavier Siemens ◽  
Maura McLaughlin

AbstractThe Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) collaboration aims to detect gravitational waves (GWs) through the precise timing of millisecond pulsars. GWs will come in the form of a stochastic background, continuous sources and burst sources. Here we will review recent progress on the development of data analysis pipelines aimed at the detection of a stochastic background as well as continuous sources. We will introduce the Optimal Statistic and F-Statistic methods that are used in the stochastic and continuous pipelines, respectively. Both pipelines are fully functional on real pulsar timing data and take into account the timing models for each pulsar. Finally, we will present the efficacy of each pipeline on locally simulated data as well as data from the 2012 IPTA data challenge.


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