Journal articles
Placing limits on the stochastic gravitational-wave background using European Pulsar Timing Array data
R. van Haasteren
1
Y. Levin
2, 1
G. H. Janssen
3
K. Lazaridis
4
G. Desvignes
4
M. B. Purver
3
A. G. Lyne
3
R. D. Ferdman
5
A. Jessner
4
Ismaël Cognard
5, 6
Gilles Theureau
6, 5
N. d'Amico
7
A. Possenti
7
M. Burgay
7
A. Corongiu
7
J. W. T. Hessels
8, 9
R. Smits
9
J. P. W. Verbiest
4
B.W. Stappers
3
M. Kramer
4
A. Jessner 4
Author
Ismaël Cognard 5, 6
Author Employer institution : Institut national des sciences de l'Univers
Gilles Theureau 6, 5
Author Employer institution : Observatoire de Paris
N. d'Amico 7
Author
1
Leiden Observatory [Leiden] (P.O. Box 9513, NL-2300 RA Leiden - Netherlands)
- Universiteit Leiden [Leiden] (P.O. Box 9500 2300 RA Leiden - Netherlands)
2
Monash University [Clayton] (Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia - Australia)
3
Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics (M13 9PL;Manchester - United Kingdom)
- University of Manchester [Manchester] (Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PL - United Kingdom)
4
MPIFR - Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (Auf dem Hügel 69 D-53121 Bonn - Germany)
5
USN - Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (18330 NANCAY - France)
- OSUC - Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (Campus Géosciences, 1A rue de la Férollerie, 45071 Orléans - France)
- INSU - CNRS - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU-CNRS 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75794 Paris Cedex 16 - France)
- Observatoire de Paris (61 Av de l'Observatoire 75014 PARIS - France)
- PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres (60 rue Mazarine 75006 Paris - France)
- UO - Université d'Orléans (Château de la Source - Avenue du Parc Floral - BP 6749 - 45067 Orléans cedex 2 - France)
- CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique : UMS3116 (France)
- INSU - CNRS - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers : USR 704 (INSU-CNRS 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75794 Paris Cedex 16 - France)
- Observatoire de Paris : USR 704 (61 Av de l'Observatoire 75014 PARIS - France)
- PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres (60 rue Mazarine 75006 Paris - France)
- UO - Université d'Orléans : USR 704 (Château de la Source - Avenue du Parc Floral - BP 6749 - 45067 Orléans cedex 2 - France)
- CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique : USR 704 (France)
6
LPC2E - Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (3A, Avenue de la Recherche Scientifique 45071 Orléans cedex 2 - France)
- OSUC - Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre : UMS3116 (Campus Géosciences, 1A rue de la Férollerie, 45071 Orléans - France)
- INSU - CNRS - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU-CNRS 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75794 Paris Cedex 16 - France)
- Observatoire de Paris (61 Av de l'Observatoire 75014 PARIS - France)
- PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres (60 rue Mazarine 75006 Paris - France)
- UO - Université d'Orléans (Château de la Source - Avenue du Parc Floral - BP 6749 - 45067 Orléans cedex 2 - France)
- CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique : UMS3116 (France)
- CNES - Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] : UMR 7328 (Siège social : 2 place Maurice Quentin, 75039 Paris - France)
7
OAC - INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari (Via della Scienza 5 - 09047 Selargius (CA) - Italy)
- INAF - Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (Viale del Parco Mellini 84, 00136 Roma - Italy)
8
UvA - University of Amsterdam [Amsterdam] (Spui 21 1012 WX Amsterdam - Netherlands)
9
ASTRON - Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4, 7991 PD Dwingeloo / PO Box 2, 7990 AA Dwingeloo - Netherlands)
Abstract : Direct detection of low-frequency gravitational waves ($10^{-9} - 10^{-8}$ Hz) is the main goal of pulsar timing array (PTA) projects. One of the main targets for the PTAs is to measure the stochastic background of gravitational waves (GWB) whose characteristic strain is expected to approximately follow a power-law of the form $h_c(f)=A (f/\hbox{yr}^{-1})^{\alpha}$, where $f$ is the gravitational-wave frequency. In this paper we use the current data from the European PTA to determine an upper limit on the GWB amplitude $A$ as a function of the unknown spectral slope $\alpha$ with a Bayesian algorithm, by modelling the GWB as a random Gaussian process. For the case $\alpha=-2/3$, which is expected if the GWB is produced by supermassive black-hole binaries, we obtain a 95% confidence upper limit on $A$ of $6\times 10^{-15}$, which is 1.8 times lower than the 95% confidence GWB limit obtained by the Parkes PTA in 2006. Our approach to the data analysis incorporates the multi-telescope nature of the European PTA and thus can serve as a useful template for future intercontinental PTA collaborations.
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Journal articles
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https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-01263728
Contributor : Nathalie Rouchon <>
Submitted on : Thursday, March 9, 2017 - 11:18:58 AM
Last modification on : Wednesday, September 23, 2020 - 4:37:29 AM
Long-term archiving on: : Saturday, June 10, 2017 - 1:21:12 PM
Contributor : Nathalie Rouchon <>
Submitted on : Thursday, March 9, 2017 - 11:18:58 AM
Last modification on : Wednesday, September 23, 2020 - 4:37:29 AM
Long-term archiving on: : Saturday, June 10, 2017 - 1:21:12 PM
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Identifiers
- HAL Id : insu-01263728, version 1
- ARXIV : 1103.0576
- DOI : 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.18613.x
Citation
R. van Haasteren, Y. Levin, G. H. Janssen, K. Lazaridis, G. Desvignes, et al.. Placing limits on the stochastic gravitational-wave background using European Pulsar Timing Array data. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Oxford University Press (OUP): Policy P - Oxford Open Option A, 2011, 414 (4), pp.3117-3128. ⟨10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.18613.x⟩. ⟨insu-01263728⟩
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