Time-domain Implementation of the Optimal Cross-Correlation Statistic for Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background Searches in Pulsar Timing Data

Oct 30, 2014
13 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Rev.D 91 (2015) 4, 044048
  • Published: Feb 27, 2015
e-Print:

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Abstract: (APS)

Supermassive black hole binaries, cosmic strings, relic gravitational waves from inflation, and first-order phase transitions in the early Universe are expected to contribute to a stochastic background of gravitational waves in the 10-910-7Hz frequency band. Pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) exploit the high-precision timing of radio pulsars to detect signals at such frequencies. Here we present a time-domain implementation of the optimal cross-correlation statistic for stochastic background searches in PTA data. Due to the irregular sampling typical of PTA data as well as the use of a timing model to predict the times of arrival of radio pulses, time-domain methods are better-suited for gravitational-wave data analysis of such data. We present a derivation of the optimal cross-correlation statistic starting from the likelihood function, a method to produce simulated stochastic background signals, and a rigorous derivation of the scaling laws for the signal-to-noise ratio of the cross-correlation statistic in the two relevant PTA regimes: the weak-signal limit where instrumental noise dominates over the gravitational-wave signal at all frequencies, and a second regime where the gravitational-wave signal dominates at the lowest frequencies.

Note:
  • 12 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Physical Review D
  • 04.30.-w
  • 04.80.Nn
  • background: stochastic
  • gravitational radiation: background
  • gravitational radiation: stochastic
  • pulsar
  • black hole: binary
  • cosmic string
  • gravitational radiation: primordial
  • critical phenomena