arXiv subjects

Qing-Guo Huang

Publications and source records attributed to Qing-Guo Huang.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

Targeted search for an individual SMBHB in NANOGrav 15-year and EPTA DR2 data sets

While pulsar timing array (PTA) collaborations have reported evidence for a stochastic gravitational wave background (GWB), the detection of continuous gravitational waves (GWs) from a confirmed supermassive black hole binary (SMBHB) would provide strong support for the SMBHB origin of GWB. In this study, we analyze continuous GWs from the SMBHB candidate 3C 66B, modeling the GWB as a common uncorrelated red noise. Using Bayesian methods, we perform targeted searches across two PTA data sets: Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves 15 years data set and the European Pulsar Timing Array DR2 full data set. We find no evidence of such signal in both data sets and then place upper limits on the amplitude of the signal and the chirp mass of the source. Additionally, we evaluate the case of a GWB characterized by Hellings-Downs correlations using a likelihood reweighting method, which consistently reconfirms the conclusion of non-detection.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Whispers from the Early Universe: The Ringdown of Primordial Black Holes

We investigate the stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB) generated by the ringdown phase of primordial black holes (PBHs) formed in the early universe. As the ringdown signal is independent of the PBH formation mechanism, the resulting SGWB offers a model-independent probe of PBHs. We numerically compute the ringdown waveform and derive the corresponding SGWB. We show that such a signal could be detected by future pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) for PBHs heavier than the solar mass. Additionally, we evaluate the SGWB from binary PBH mergers and demonstrate that it lies within the sensitivity bands of next-generation ground-based interferometers such as Cosmic Explorer and Einstein Telescope, suggesting a multi-band observational strategy for probing the PBH dark matter scenario.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

Detecting Cosmological Phase Transitions with Taiji: Sensitivity Analysis and Parameter Estimation

We investigate the capability of the Taiji space-based gravitational wave observatory to detect stochastic gravitational wave backgrounds produced by first-order phase transitions in the early universe. Using a comprehensive simulation framework that incorporates realistic instrumental noise, galactic double white dwarf confusion noise, and extragalactic compact binary backgrounds, we systematically analyze Taiji's sensitivity across a range of signal parameters. Our Bayesian analysis demonstrates that Taiji can robustly detect and characterize phase transition signals with energy densities exceeding $Ω_{\text{PT}} \gtrsim 1.4 \times 10^{-11}$ across most of its frequency band, with particularly strong sensitivity around $10^{-3}$ to $10^{-2}$ Hz. For signals with amplitudes above $Ω_{\text{PT}} \gtrsim 1.1 \times 10^{-10}$, Taiji can determine the peak frequency with relative precision better than $10\%$. These detection capabilities would enable Taiji to probe electroweak-scale phase transitions in various beyond-Standard-Model scenarios, potentially revealing new physics connected to baryogenesis and dark matter production. We quantify detection confidence using both Bayes factors and the Deviance Information Criterion, finding consistent results that validate our statistical methodology.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

The Impact of the Hubble Tension on the Evidence for Dynamical Dark Energy

Recent findings from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Data Release 2 (DR2) favor a dynamical dark energy characterized by a phantom crossing feature. This result also implies a lower value of the Hubble constant, thereby intensifying the so-called Hubble tension. To alleviate the Hubble tension, we consider the early dark energy and explore its impact on the evidence for dynamical dark energy including the Hubble constant calibrated by the SH0ES collaboration. We find that incorporating SH0ES prior with CMB, DESI DR2 BAO and Pantheon Plus/Union3/DESY5 data reduces the preference to dynamical dark energy to $1.5σ/1.4σ/2.4σ$ level, respectively. Our results suggest a potential tension between the Hubble constant $H_0$ of the SH0ES measurement and the phantom-to-quintessence transition in dark energy favored by DESI DR2 BAO data.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

Can tensor-scalar induced GWs dominate PTA observations ?

Observational constraints on small-scale primordial gravitational waves are considerably weaker than those on large scales. We focus on scenarios with significant primordial gravitational waves and curvature perturbations on small scales, studying the energy density spectrum of the second-order TSIGW. By leveraging current data from CMB, BAO, and PTA, combined with the SNR analysis of LISA, we can investigate how tensor-scalar induced gravitational waves affect observations on various scales, thus constraining the parameter space for primordial gravitational waves and curvature perturbations. The Bayes factor analysis suggests that TSIGW+PGW might be more likely to dominate current PTA observations compared to SMBHB.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Constraints on the Primordial Black Hole Abundance through Scalar-Induced Gravitational Waves from Advanced LIGO and Virgo's First Three Observing Runs

As a promising dark matter candidate, primordial black holes (PBHs) lighter than $\sim10^{-18}M_{\odot}$ are supposed to have evaporated by today through Hawking radiation. This scenario is challenged by the memory burden effect, which suggests that the evaporation of black holes may slow down significantly after they have emitted about half of their initial mass. We explore the astrophysical implications of the memory burden effect on the PBH abundance by today and the possibility for PBHs lighter than $\sim10^{-18}M_{\odot}$ to persist as dark matter. Our analysis utilizes current LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA data to constrain the primordial power spectrum and infer the PBH abundance. We find a null detection of scalar-induced gravitational waves that accompanied the formation of the PBHs. Then we find that PBHs are ruled out within the mass range $\sim[10^{-24},10^{-19}]M_{\odot}$. Furthermore, we expect that next-generation gravitational wave detectors, such as the Einstein Telescope and the Cosmic Explorer, will provide even more stringent constraints. Our results indicate that future detectors can reach sensitivities that could rule out PBH as dark matter within $\sim[10^{-29}M_{\odot},10^{-16}M_{\odot}]$ in the null detection of scalar-induced gravitational waves.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Reevaluating $H_0$ Tension with Non-Planck CMB and DESI BAO Joint Analysis

$H_0$ tension in the spatially flat $Λ$CDM model is reevaluated by employing three sets of non-Planck CMB data, namely WMAP, WMAP+ACT, and WMAP+SPT, in conjunction with DESI BAO data and non-DESI BAO datasets including 6dFGS, SDSS DR7, and SDSS DR16. Our analysis yields $H_0 = 68.86\pm 0.68~\mathrm{km\ s^{-1} Mpc^{-1}}$ with WMAP+DESI BAO, $H_0 = 68.72\pm 0.51~\mathrm{km\ s^{-1} Mpc^{-1}}$ with WMAP+ACT+DESI BAO, and $H_0 = 68.62\pm 0.52~\mathrm{km\ s^{-1} Mpc^{-1}}$ with WMAP+SPT+DESI BAO. The results of non-Planck CMB+DESI BAO exhibit a $3.4σ$, $3.7σ$, and $3.8σ$ tension with the SH0ES local measurement respectively which are around $1 σ$ lower in significance for the Hubble tension compared to Planck CMB+DESI BAO. Moreover, by combining DESI BAO data+non-Planck CMB measurements, we obtain a more stringent constraint on the Hubble constant compared to non-DESI BAO data+non-Planck CMB data, as well as reducing the significance of the Hubble tension.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Constraining ultralight scalar dark matter couplings with the European Pulsar Timing Array second data release

Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs) offer an independent method for searching for ultralight dark matter (ULDM), whose wavelike nature induces periodic oscillations in the arrival times of radio pulses. In addition to this gravitational effect, the direct coupling between ULDM and ordinary matter results in pulsar spin fluctuations and reference clock shifts, leading to observable effects in PTAs. The second data release from the European PTA (EPTA) indicates that ULDM cannot account for all dark matter in the mass range $m_ϕ \in [10^{-24.0}, 10^{-23.3}] \text{ eV}$ based solely on gravitational effects. In this work, we derive constraints on the coupling coefficients by considering both gravitational and coupling effects. Our results demonstrate that EPTA provides stronger constraints on these couplings than previous PTA experiments, and it establishes similar or even tighter constraints compared to other precise experiments, such as atomic clock experiments.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Generic Modified Teukolsky Formalism beyond General Relativity for Spherically Symmetric Cases

The observation of gravitational waves has inaugurated a new era for testing gravitational theories in strong-field, nonlinear regimes. Gravitational waves emit during the ringdown phase of binary black hole mergers and from extreme mass ratio inspirals are particularly sensitive to the properties of black holes, making them crucial for probing deviations from general relativity. These studies need a robust foundation in black hole perturbation theory beyond general relativity. While existing studies have employed black hole perturbation theories to explore modifications beyond general relativity, they often focus on specific alternative theories or phenomenological models of quantum gravity. In this paper, we establish a modified decoupled Teukolsky formalism that is broadly applicable to spherically symmetric spacetimes without requiring a predetermined gravitational Lagrangian. This formalism uses the Newman-Penrose framework, which utilizes curvature perturbations characterized by Weyl scalars, to accommodate a wider class of spacetimes beyond general relativity. Our approach correctly handles non-Ricci-flat backgrounds and circumvents subtle analytical issues associated with effective potentials that are present in other modified Teukolsky formalisms.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Primordial Black Hole Interpretation in Subsolar Mass Gravitational Wave Candidate SSM200308

In the recent second part of the third observation run by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration, a candidate with sub-solar mass components was reported, which we labelled as SSM200308. This study investigates the premise that primordial black holes (PBHs), arising from Gaussian perturbation collapses, could explain SSM200308. Through Bayesian analysis, we obtain the primordial curvature power spectrum that leads to the merger rate of PBHs aligning with observational data as long as they constitute {$f_{\mathrm{PBH}}=5.66^{+58.68}_{-5.44}\times 10^{-2}$ } of the dark matter. However, while the gravitational wave (GW) background from binary PBH mergers is within current observational limits, the scalar-induced GWs associated with PBH formation exceed the constraints imposed by pulsar timing arrays, challenging the Gaussian perturbation collapse PBH model as the source of SSM200308.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Constraints on Redshift-Binned Dark Energy using DESI BAO Data

We parameterize the equation of state of late-time dark energy as $w_{\mathrm{bin}}(z)$, with three redshift bins, characterized by a constant equation of state in each bin. Then, we constrain the parameters of the $w_{\mathrm{bin}}$CDM model using datasets from DESI BAO data, Planck CMB power spectrum, ACT DR6 lensing power spectrum, and type Ia supernova distance-redshift data of Pantheon Plus/DES Y5/Union3. The significances for $w_1>-1$ is $1.9σ$, $2.6σ$ and $3.3σ$, and $w_2$ is consistent with $-1$ within $1σ$ level, while $1.6σ$, $1.5σ$ and $1.5σ$ for $w_3<-1$ in these three data combinations with different choices of type Ia supernova datasets, respectively. Additionally, to alleviate $H_0$ tension, we incorporate the early dark energy (EDE) model in the early-time universe and add the SH0ES absolute magnitude $M_b$ prior (or $H_0$ prior) to further constrain the $w_{\mathrm{bin}}$EDE model. In the $w_{\mathrm{bin}}$EDE model, we find a $w_{\mathrm{bin}}(z)$ pattern similar to that in the $w_{\mathrm{bin}}$CDM model. The results of the three data combinations exhibit $w_1>-1$ at $1.9σ$, $1.7σ$ and $2.9σ$ level, meanwhile $w_3<-1$ at $1.3σ$, $1.3σ$ and $1.3σ$ level, respectively. In all, our results indicate that the transition of dark energy from phantom at high redshifts to quintessence at low redshifts is not conclusive.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

GW230529_181500: A Potential Primordial Binary Black Hole Merger in the Mass Gap

During the fourth observing run of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA detector network, the LIGO Livingston observatory detected a coalescing compact binary, GW230529_181500, with component masses of $2.5-4.5\, M_\odot$ and $1.2-2.0\, M_\odot$ at the $90\%$ credible level. The gravitational-wave data alone is insufficient to determine whether the components are neutron stars or black holes. In this paper, we propose that GW230529_181500 originated from the merger of two primordial black holes (PBHs). We estimate a merger rate of $5.0^{+47.0}_{-4.9} \mathrm{Gpc}^{-3}\,\mathrm{yr}^{-1}$ for compact binary coalescences with properties similar to GW230529_181500. Assuming the source is a PBH-PBH merger, GW230529-like events lead to approximately $1.7^{+36.2}_{-1.5} \times 10^{-3}$ of the dark matter in the form of PBHs. The required abundance of PBHs to explain this event is consistent with existing upper limits derived from microlensing, cosmic microwave background observations and the null detection of gravitational wave background by LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

The spatial correlations between pulsars for interfering sources in Pulsar Timing Array and evidence for gravitational-wave background in NANOGrav 15-year data set

Pulsar timing arrays (PTAs), aimed at detecting gravitational waves (GWs) in the $1\sim 100$ nHz range, have recently made significant strides. Compelling evidence has emerged for a common spectrum signal spatially correlated among pulsars, following a Hellings-Downs (HD) pattern, which is crucial for detecting a gravitational-wave background (GWB). However, the HD curve is expected for discrete and non-interfering sources, which is unlikely to hold in realistic scenarios with potential interference among numerous GW sources, such as the supermassive black-hole binaries. Incorporating interference was previously expected to introduce an irreducible uncertainty (known as "cosmic variance") in discerning the HD correlation; however, our work reveals how this interference generates measurable frequency-dependent spatial correlations distinct from the HD curve. The spatial correlations for interfering sources (referred to as "ISC") still exhibit contributions in the quadrupole and higher orders, resembling the HD correlation and encoding the nature of GW radiations. We apply these novel correlations to search for a GWB in the NANOGrav 15-year data set. In an optimistic estimation, our findings show a Bayes factor of $33.7\pm 3.2$ comparing ISC to the HD correlation, and an improvement in optimal statistic signal-to-noise ratio from $4.9\pm 1.1$ for the HD correlation to $6.6\pm 1.7$ for the ISC, highlighting the significant enhancement in evidence for detecting a GWB through incorporating interference.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Search for Non-Tensorial Gravitational-Wave Backgrounds in the NANOGrav 15-Year Data Set

The recent detection of a stochastic signal in the NANOGrav 15-year data set has aroused great interest in uncovering its origin. However, the evidence for the Hellings-Downs correlations, a key signature of the gravitational-wave background (GWB) predicted by general relativity, remains inconclusive. In this letter, we search for an isotropic non-tensorial GWB, allowed by general metric theories of gravity, in the NANOGrav 15-year data set. Our analysis reveals a Bayes factor of approximately 2.5, comparing the quadrupolar (tensor transverse, TT) correlations to the scalar transverse (ST) correlations, suggesting that the ST correlations provide a comparable explanation for the observed stochastic signal in the NANOGrav data. We obtain the median and the $90\%$ equal-tail amplitudes as $\mathcal{A}_\mathrm{ST} = 7.8^{+5.1}_{-3.5} \times 10^{-15}$ at the frequency of 1/year. Furthermore, we find that the vector longitudinal (VL) and scalar longitudinal (SL) correlations are weakly and strongly disfavoured by data, respectively, yielding upper limits on the amplitudes: $\mathcal{A}_\mathrm{VL}^{95\%} \lesssim 1.7 \times 10^{-15}$ and $\mathcal{A}_\mathrm{SL}^{95\%} \lesssim 7.4 \times 10^{-17}$. Lastly, we fit the NANOGrav data with the general transverse (GT) correlations parameterized by a free parameter $α$. Our analysis yields $α=1.74^{+1.18}_{-1.41}$, thus excluding both the TT ($α=3$) and ST ($α=0$) models at the $90\%$ confidence level.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Pulsar timing residual induced by ultralight tensor dark matter

Ultralight boson fields, with a mass around $10^{-23}\text{eV}$, are promising candidates for the elusive cosmological dark matter. These fields induce a periodic oscillation of the spacetime metric in the nanohertz frequency band, which is detectable by pulsar timing arrays. In this paper, we investigate the gravitational effect of ultralight tensor dark matter on the arrival time of radio pulses from pulsars. We find that the pulsar timing signal caused by tensor dark matter exhibits a different angular dependence than that by scalar and vector dark matter, making it possible to distinguish the ultralight dark matter signal with different spins. Combining the gravitational effect and the coupling effect of ultralight tensor dark matter with standard model matter provides a complementary way to constrain the coupling parameter $α$. We estimate $α\lesssim 10^{-6}\sim 10^{-5}$ in the mass range $m<5\times 10^{-23}\mathrm{eV}$ with current pulsar timing array.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Prospects for Taiji to detect a gravitational-wave background from cosmic strings

Recently, multiple pulsar timing array collaborations have presented compelling evidence for a stochastic signal at nanohertz frequencies, potentially originating from cosmic strings. Cosmic strings are linear topological defects that can arise during phase transitions in the early Universe or as fundamental strings in superstring theory. This paper focuses on investigating the detection capabilities of Taiji, a planned space-based gravitational wave detector, for the gravitational wave background generated by cosmic strings. By analyzing simulated Taiji data and utilizing comprehensive Bayesian parameter estimation techniques, we demonstrate a significant improvement in precision compared to the NANOGrav 15-year data, surpassing it by an order of magnitude. This highlights the enhanced measurement capabilities of Taiji. Consequently, Taiji can serve as a valuable complementary tool to pulsar timing arrays in validating and exploring the physics of cosmic strings in the early Universe.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2024

Full analysis of the scalar-induced gravitational waves for the curvature perturbation with local-type non-Gaussianities

Primordial black holes (PBHs) are supposed to form through the gravitational collapse of regions with large density fluctuations. The formation of PBHs inevitably leads to the emission of scalar-induced gravitational wave (SIGW) signals, offering a unique opportunity to test the hypothesis of PBHs as a constituent of dark matter (DM). Previous studies have calculated the energy spectrum of SIGWs in local-type non-Gaussian models, primarily considering the contributions from the $F_{\mathrm{NL}}$-order or the $G_{\mathrm{NL}}$-order while neglecting connected diagrams. In this study, we extend the previous work by (i) considering the full contribution of non-Gaussian diagrams up to the $G_{\mathrm{NL}}$-order; (ii) deriving the generic scaling of the SIGW energy spectrum in the infrared region. We derive semi-analytical results applicable to arbitrary primordial power spectra and numerically evaluate the energy spectrum of SIGWs for a log-normal power spectrum.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Implications for the non-Gaussianity of curvature perturbation from pulsar timing arrays

The recently released data by pulsar timing array (PTA) collaborations present strong evidence for a stochastic signal consistent with a gravitational-wave background. Assuming this signal originates from scalar-induced gravitational waves, we jointly use the PTA data from the NANOGrav 15-yr data set, PPTA DR3, and EPTA DR2 to probe the small-scale non-Gaussianity. We put the first-ever constraint on the non-Gaussianity parameter, finding $|F_\mathrm{NL}|\lesssim 13.9$ for a lognormal power spectrum of the curvature perturbations. Furthermore, we obtain $-13.9 \lesssim F_\mathrm{NL}\lesssim -0.1$ to prevent excessive production of primordial black holes. Moreover, the multi-band observations with the space-borne gravitational-wave detectors, such as LISA/Taiji/TianQin, will provide a complementary investigation of primordial non-Gaussianity. Our findings pave the way to constrain inflation models with PTA data.

astro-ph.CO↗