[论文解读] The NANOGrav 12.5-year Data Set: Bayesian Limits on Gravitational Waves from Individual Supermassive Black Hole Binaries

Zaven Arzoumanian, P. T. Baker+76 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jan 9, 2023

Cosmology and Gravitation Theories被引用 10

一句话总结

论文使用 NANOGrav 12.5-year 脉冲星定时阵列数据来建立对来自单个超大质量黑洞并合的引力波的贝叶斯限制。在提供的文本中未声称有明确的探测。

ABSTRACT

Pulsar timing array collaborations, such as the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav), are seeking to detect nanohertz gravitational waves emitted by supermassive black hole binaries formed in the aftermath of galaxy mergers. We have searched for continuous waves from individual circular supermassive black hole binaries using the NANOGrav's recent 12.5-year data set. We created new methods to accurately model the uncertainties on pulsar distances in our analysis, and we implemented new techniques to account for a common red noise process in pulsar timing array data sets while searching for deterministic gravitational wave signals, including continuous waves. As we found no evidence for continuous waves in our data, we placed 95\% upper limits on the strain amplitude of continuous waves emitted by these sources. At our most sensitive frequency of 7.65 nanohertz, we placed a sky-averaged limit of $h_0 < $ $(6.82 \pm 0.35) imes 10^{-15}$, and $h_0 <$ $(2.66 \pm 0.15) imes 10^{-15}$ in our most sensitive sky location. Finally, we placed a multi-messenger limit of $\mathcal{M} <$ $(1.41 \pm 0.02) imes 10^9 M_\odot$ on the chirp mass of the supermassive black hole binary candidate 3C~66B.

研究动机与目标

• 动机：用 NANOGrav 数据约束来自单个超大质量黑洞并合的引力波。
• 应用贝叶斯推断方法到脉冲星定时阵列残差中，搜索 SMBHB GW 信号。
• 量化跨参数空间的单个双星的 GW 应变上限。
• 提供有助于 PTA 数据 GW 搜索格局的结果。

提出的方法

• 用贝叶斯技术分析 NANOGrav 12.5-year 脉冲星定时数据。
• 在脉冲星定时残差中对来自单个 SMBHB 的引力波信号建模。
• 计算后验分布和关于 GW 应变幅度的上限。
• 将贝叶斯限制与先前约束和以前的数据发布进行比较。

Figure 1: Top page of the AAS Journals’ website, http://journals.aas.org , on October 15, 2017. Each RNAAS manuscript is only allowed one figure or table (but not both). Including the data behind the figure in a Note is encouraged, and the data will be provided as a link in the published Note.

实验结果

研究问题

• RQ1 可以使用 12.5-year PTA 数据对来自单个 SMBHB 的引力波应变设置哪些上限？
• RQ2 数据中是否对来自任何单个超大质量黑洞并合的引力波有证据？
• RQ3 贝叶斯限制与早期 NANOGrav 数据发布和其他 PTA 分析的限制相比如何？
• RQ4 SMBHB 参数空间的哪些区域（如频率、天空位置）在数据集中受到最多约束？

主要发现

• 贝叶斯分析给出使用 12.5-year 数据集的单个 SMBHB 引力波应变的上限。
• 在提供的文本中未报告来自单个 SMBHB 的 GW 信号的明确探测。
• 该研究通过扩展数据跨度为 SMBHB GW 搜索格局贡献了更新的约束。
• 结果为未来的 PTA 分析和对连续 GW 来源的灵敏度目标提供信息。