Pulsar Timing Array Experiments

J. P. W. Verbiest; S. Oslowski; S. Burke-Spolaor

doi:10.1007/978-981-15-4702-7_4-1

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arXiv · 2101.10081

Pulsar Timing Array Experiments

J. P. W. Verbiest·S. Oslowski·S. Burke-Spolaor

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Abstract

Pulsar timing is a technique that uses the highly stable spin periods of neutron stars to investigate a wide range of topics in physics and astrophysics. Pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) use sets of extremely well-timed pulsars as a Galaxy-scale detector with arms extending between Earth and each pulsar in the array. These challenging experiments look for correlated deviations in the pulsars' timing that are caused by low-frequency gravitational waves (GWs) traversing our Galaxy. PTAs are particularly sensitive to GWs at nanohertz frequencies, which makes them complementary to other space- and ground-based detectors. In this chapter, we will describe the methodology behind pulsar timing; provide an overview of the potential uses of PTAs; and summarise where current PTA-based detection efforts stand. Most predictions expect PTAs to successfully detect a cosmological background of GWs emitted by supermassive black-hole binaries and also potentially detect continuous-wave emission from binary supermassive black holes, within the next several years.

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BibTeX RIS

J. P. W. Verbiest, S. Oslowski, S. Burke-Spolaor. 2021-01-25. Pulsar Timing Array Experiments. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4702-7_4-1

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