Abstract
Pulsar timing array projects are carrying out high precision observations of millisecond pulsars with the aim of detecting ultra-low frequency (~ 10-9 to 10-8 Hz) gravitational waves.We show how unambiguous detections of such waves can be obtained by identifying a signal that is correlated between the timing of different pulsars. Here we describe the ongoing observing projects, the expected sources of gravitational waves, the processing of the data and the implications of current results.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Amaro-Seoane, P., et al.: Triplets of supermassive black holes: astrophysics, gravitational waves and detection. MNRAS 402, 2308–2320 (2010).
Anholm, M., Ballmer, S., Creighton, J.D.E., Price, L.R., Siemens, X.: Optimal strategies for gravitational wave stochastic background searches in pulsar timing data. Phys. Rev. D 79(8), 084, 030 (2009).
Battye, R., Moss, A.: Updated constraints on the cosmic string tension. ArXiv e-prints 1005.0479 (2010)
Booth, R.S., de Blok, W.J.G., Jonas, J.L., Fanaroff, B.: MeerKAT Key Project Science, Specifications, and Proposals. ArXiv e-prints 0910.2935 (2009)
Boyle, L.A., Buonanno, A.: Relating gravitational wave constraints from primordial nucleosynthesis, pulsar timing, laser interferometers, and the CMB: implications for the early universe. ArXiv e-prints 708 (2007)
Cognard, I., Backer, D.C.: A microglitch in the millisecond pulsar psr b1821-24 in m28. ApJ 612, L125–L127 (2004)
Cordes, J.M., et al.: Arecibo Pulsar Survey Using ALFA. I. Survey Strategy and First Discoveries. ApJ 637, 446–455 (2006).
Damour, T., Vilenkin, A.: Gravitational wave bursts from cusps and kinks on cosmic strings. Phys. Rev. D 64(6), 064,008 (2001)
Detweiler, S.: Pulsar timing measurements and the search for gravitational waves. ApJ 234, 1100 (1979)
Edwards, R.T., Hobbs, G.B., Manchester, R.N.: TEMPO2, a new pulsar timing package - II. The timing model and precision estimates. MNRAS 372, 1549–1574 (2006).
Enoki, M., Inoue, K.T., Nagashima, M., Sugiyama, N.: Gravitational Waves from Supermassive Black Hole Coalescence in a Hierarchical Galaxy Formation Model. ApJ 615, 19–28 (2004)
Enoki, M., Nagashima, M.: The Effect of Orbital Eccentricity on Gravitational Wave Background Radiation from Supermassive Black Hole Binaries. Progress of Theoretical Physics 117, 241–256 (2007)
Ferdman, R.D., et al.: The european pulsar timing array: current efforts and a leap toward the future. Classical and Quantum Gravity 27(8), 084,014 (2010).
Foster, R.S., Backer, D.C.: Constructing a pulsar timing array. ApJ 361, 300 (1990)
Grishchuk, L.P.: Relic gravitational waves and cosmology. Phys. Uspekhi pp. 1235–1247 (2005)
Gwinn, C.R., Eubanks, T.M., Pyne, T., Birkinshaw, M., Matsakis, D.N.: Quasar Proper Motions and Low-Frequency Gravitational Waves. ApJ 485, 87 (1997).
Hellings, R.W., Downs, G.S.: Upper limits on the isotropic gravitational radiation background from pulsar timing analysis. ApJ 265, L39 (1983)
Hobbs, G., et al.: The international pulsar timing array project: using pulsars as a gravitational wave detector. Classical and Quantum Gravity 27(8), 084,013 (2010).
Hobbs, G., Lyne, A.G., Kramer, M.: An analysis of the timing irregularities for 366 pulsars. MNRAS 402, 1027–1048 (2010).
Hobbs, G., et al.: The PULSE@Parkes Project: a New Observing Technique for Long-Term Pulsar Monitoring. PASA 26, 468–475 (2009).
Hobbs, G., et al: TEMPO2: a new pulsar timing package - III. Gravitational wave simulation. MNRAS 394, 1945–1955 (2009).
Hobbs, G.B., et al.: Gravitational-Wave Detection Using Pulsars: Status of the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array Project. PASA 26, 103–109 (2009).
Hobbs, G.B., Edwards, R.T., Manchester, R.N.: Tempo2, a new pulsar-timing package - i. an overview. MNRAS 369, 655–672 (2006).
Hollow, R., et al.: PULSE@Parkes: Pulsar Observing for High School Students. In: M. G. Gibbs, J. Barnes, J. G. Manning, & B. Partridge (ed.) Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series, Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series, vol. 400, pp. 190 (2008)
Hulse, R.A., Taylor, J.H.: Discovery of a pulsar in a binary system. ApJ 195, L51–L53 (1975)
Jaffe, A.H., Backer, D.C.: Gravitational waves probe the coalescence rate of massive black hole binaries. ApJ 583, 616–631 (2003)
Jenet, F., et al.: The North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves. ArXiv e-prints 0909.1058 (2009)
Jenet, F.A., Hobbs, G.B., Lee, K.J., Manchester, R.N.: Detecting the Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background Using Pulsar Timing. ApJ 625, L123–L126 (2005)
Jenet, F.A., et al.: Upper Bounds on the Low-Frequency Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background from Pulsar Timing Observations: Current Limits and Future Prospects. ApJ 653, 1571–1576 (2006).
Jenet, F.A., Lommen, A., Larson, S.L., Wen, L.: Constraining the properties of supermassive black hole systems using pulsar timing: Application to 3c 66b. ApJ 606, 799–803 (2004)
Johnston, S., et al.: Science with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder. PASA 24, 174–188 (2007)
Johnston, S., et al. Science with ASKAP. The Australian square-kilometre-array pathfinder.
Experimental Astronomy 22, 151–273 (2008).
Kaspi, V.M., Taylor, J.H., Ryba, M.: High-precision timing of millisecond pulsars. III. Longterm
monitoring of PSRs B1855+09 and B1937+21. ApJ 428, 713–728 (1994)
Kocsis, B., G´asp´ar, M.E., M´arka, S.: Detection rate estimates of gravity waves emitted during
parabolic encounters of stellar black holes in globular clusters. ApJ 648, 411–429 (2006).
Kopeikin, S.M.: Binary Pulsars as Detectors of Ultra-Low Frequency Graviational Waves. Phys. Rev. D 56, 4455 (1997)
Lee, K.J., Jenet, F.A., Price, R.H.: Pulsar Timing as a Probe of Non-Einsteinian Polarizations of Gravitational Waves. ApJ 685, 1304–1319 (2008).
Lommen, A.N., Backer, D.C.: Using pulsars to detect massive black hole binaries via gravitational radiation: Sagittarius A* and nearby galaxies. ApJ 562, 297–302 (2001)
Maggiore, M.: Gravitational wave experiments and early universe cosmology. Phys. Rep. 331, 283–367 (2000)
Manchester, R.N.: Detection of Gravitational Waves using Pulsar Timing. ArXiv e-prints 1004.3602 (2010)
McHugh, M.P., Zalamansky, G., Vernotte, F., Lantz, E.: Pulsar timing and the upper limits on a gravitational wave background: A Bayesian approach. Phys. Rev. D 54, 5993–6000 (1996)
Nan, R.D., Wang, Q.M., Zhu, L.C., Zhu, W.B., Jin, C.J., Gan, H.Q.: Pulsar Observations with Radio Telescope FAST. Chin. J. Atron. Astrophys., Suppl. 2 6, 304–310 (2006)
Olmez, S., Mandic, V., Siemens, X.: Gravitational-Wave Stochastic Background from Kinks and Cusps on Cosmic Strings. ArXiv e-prints 1004.0890 (2010)
Pollney, D., Reisswig, C.: Gravitational memory in binary black hole mergers. ArXiv e-prints 1004.4209 (2010)
Pshirkov, M.S.: Investigating ultra-long gravitational waves with measurements of pulsar rotational parameters. MNRAS 398, 1932–1935 (2009).
Pshirkov, M.S., Baskaran, D., Postnov, K.A.: Observing gravitational wave bursts in pulsar timing measurements. MNRAS 402, 417–423 (2010).
Pshirkov, M.S., Tuntsov, A.V.: Local constraints on cosmic string loops from photometry and pulsar timing. Phys. Rev. D 81(8), 083,519 (2010).
Rajagopal, M., Romani, R.W.: Ultra–Low-Frequency Gravitational Radiation from Massive Black Hole Binaries. ApJ 446, 543–549 (1995)
Rodin, A.E.: Optimal filters for the construction of the ensemble pulsar time. MNRAS 387, 1583–1588 (2008).
Rodriguez, C., Taylor, G.B., Zavala, R.T., Peck, A.B., Pollack, L.K., Romani, R.W.: A Compact Supermassive Binary Black Hole System. ApJ 646, 49–60 (2006).
Romani, R.W.: Timing a millisecond pulsar array. In: H. ¨Ogelman, E.P.J. van den Heuvel (eds.) Timing Neutron Stars, pp. 113–117 (1989)
Saito, R., Yokoyama, J.: Gravitational-Wave Background as a Probe of the Primordial Black- Hole Abundance. Phys. Rev. Lett. 102(16), 161,101 (2009).
Sazhin, M.V.: Sov. Astron. 22, 36 (1978)
Sesana, A., Haardt, F.,Madau, P., Volonteri,M.: Low-Frequency Gravitational Radiation from Coalescing Massive Black Hole Binaries in Hierarchical Cosmologies. ApJ 611, 623–632 (2004).
Sesana, A., Vecchio, A.: Measuring the parameters of massive black hole binary systems with pulsar timing array observations of gravitational waves. prd 81(10), 104,008 (2010).
Sesana, A., Vecchio, A., Colacino, C.N.: The stochastic gravitational-wave background from massive black hole binary systems: implications for observations with Pulsar Timing Arrays. MNRAS 390, 192–209 (2008).
Sesana, A., Vecchio, A., Volonteri, M.: Gravitational waves from resolvable massive black hole binary systems and observations with Pulsar Timing Arrays. MNRAS 394, 2255–2265 (2009).
Seto, N.: Search for memory and inspiral gravitational waves from supermassive binary black holes with pulsar timing arrays. MNRAS 400, L38–L42 (2009).
Sillanpaa, A., et al.: Confirmation of the 12-year optical outburst cycle in blazar OJ 287. A&A 305, L17 (1996)
Smarr, L.L., Blandford, R.: The binary pulsar: Physical processes, possible companions and evolutionary histories. ApJ 207, 574–588 (1976)
Stinebring, D.R., Ryba, M.F., Taylor, J.H., Romani, R.W.: Cosmic gravitational–wave background: Limits from millisecond pulsar timing. Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 285–288 (1990)
Sudou, H., Iguchi, S., Murata, Y., Taniguchi, Y.: Orbital Motion in the Radio Galaxy 3C 66B: Evidence for a Supermassive Black Hole Binary. Science 300, 1263–1265 (2003).
Taylor, J.H., Weisberg, J.M.: A new test of general relativity: Gravitational radiation and the binary pulsar PSR 1913+16. ApJ 253, 908–920 (1982)
Thorne, K.S., Braginskii, V.B.: Gravitational-wave bursts from the nuclei of distant galaxiesand quasars - proposal for detection using doppler tracking of interplanetary spacecraft. ApJ 204, L1–L6 (1976)
van Haasteren, R., Levin, Y.: Gravitational-wave memory and pulsar timing arrays. MNRAS 401, 2372–2378 (2010).
van Haasteren, R., Levin, Y.,McDonald, P., Lu, T.: On measuring the gravitational-wave background using pulsar timing arrays. mnras 395, 1005–1014 (2009).
van Straten, W.: Radio astronomical polarimetry and high-precision pulsar timing. ApJ 642, 1004–1011 (2006).
van Straten, W., Manchester, R.N., Johnston, S., Reynolds, J.: PSRCHIVE and PSRFITS: Definition of the Stokes Parameters and Instrumental Basis Conventions. PASA, 27, 104 (2009). In press
Verbiest, J.P.W., et al.: Status update of the parkes pulsar timing array. Classical and Quantum Gravity 27(8), 084,015 (2010).
Verbiest, J.P.W. et al.: Timing stability of millisecond pulsars and prospects for gravitationalwave detection. MNRAS 400, 951–968 (2009).
Verbiest, J.P.W., et al.: Precision timing of PSR J0437-4715: an accurate pulsar distance, a high pulsar mass and a limit on the variation of Newton’s gravitational constant. ApJ 679, 675–680 (2008).
Wen, Z.L., Liu, F.S., Han, J.L.: Mergers of luminous early-type galaxies in the local universe and gravitational wave background. ApJ 692, 511–521 (2009).
Wyithe, J.S.B., Loeb, A.: Low-Frequency Gravitational Waves from Massive Black Hole Binaries: Predictions for LISA and Pulsar Timing Arrays. ApJ 590, 691–706 (2003)
Yardley, D.R.B., et al.: The Sensitivity of the Parkes Pulsar TimingArray to Individual Sources of Gravitational Waves. ArXiv e-prints 1005.1667 (2010)
You, X.P., et al.: Dispersion measure variations and their effect on precision pulsar timing. MNRAS 378, 493–506 (2007)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Hobbs, G. (2011). Pulsars as gravitational wave detectors. In: Torres, D., Rea, N. (eds) High-Energy Emission from Pulsars and their Systems. Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17251-9_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17251-9_20
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-17250-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-17251-9
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)