The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Constraints on planetary masses around 45 millisecond pulsars

E. A. Behrens; S. M. Ransom; D. R. Madison; Z. Arzoumanian; K. Crowter; M. E. DeCesar; P. B. Demorest; T. Dolch; J. A. Ellis; R. D. Ferdman; E. C. Ferrara; E. Fonseca; P. A. Gentile; G. Jones; M. L. Jones; M. T. Lam; L. Levin; D. R. Lorimer; R. S. Lynch; M. A. McLaughlin; C. Ng; D. J. Nice; T. T. Pennucci; B. B. P. Perera; P. S. Ray; R. Spiewak; I. H. Stairs; K. Stovall; J. K. Swiggum; W. W. Zhu

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ab8121

The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Constraints on planetary masses around 45 millisecond pulsars

E. A. Behrens, S. M. Ransom, D. R. Madison, Z. Arzoumanian, K. Crowter, M. E. DeCesar, P. B. Demorest, T. Dolch, J. A. Ellis, R. D. Ferdman, E. C. Ferrara, E. Fonseca, P. A. Gentile, G. Jones, M. L. Jones, M. T. Lam, L. Levin, D. R. Lorimer, R. S. Lynch, M. A. McLaughlinC. Ng, D. J. Nice, T. T. Pennucci, B. B. P. Perera, P. S. Ray, R. Spiewak, I. H. Stairs, K. Stovall, J. K. Swiggum, W. W. Zhu

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Abstract

We search for extrasolar planets around millisecond pulsars using pulsar timing data and seek to determine the minimum detectable planetary masses as a function of orbital period. Using the 11 yr data set from the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav), we look for variations from our models of pulse arrival times due to the presence of exoplanets. No planets are detected around the millisecond pulsars in the NANOGrav 11 yr data set, but taking into consideration the noise levels of each pulsar and the sampling rate of our observations, we develop limits that show we are sensitive to planetary masses as low as that of the moon. We analyzed potential planet periods, P, in the range 7 days < P < 2000 days, with somewhat smaller ranges for some binary pulsars. The planetary-mass limit for our median-sensitivity pulsar within this period range is .

Original language	English
Article number	L8
Number of pages	6
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	893
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab8121
Publication status	Published - 10 Apr 2020

Keywords

Millisecond pulsars
Pulsar planets
Pulsar timing method
Exoplanet detection methods
BINARY
SYSTEM
STAR
EVOLUTION

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10.3847/2041-8213/ab8121

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Behrens, E. A., Ransom, S. M., Madison, D. R., Arzoumanian, Z., Crowter, K., DeCesar, M. E., Demorest, P. B., Dolch, T., Ellis, J. A., Ferdman, R. D., Ferrara, E. C., Fonseca, E., Gentile, P. A., Jones, G., Jones, M. L., Lam, M. T., Levin, L., Lorimer, D. R., Lynch, R. S., ... Zhu, W. W. (2020). The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Constraints on planetary masses around 45 millisecond pulsars. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 893(1), [L8]. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab8121

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title = "The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Constraints on planetary masses around 45 millisecond pulsars",

abstract = "We search for extrasolar planets around millisecond pulsars using pulsar timing data and seek to determine the minimum detectable planetary masses as a function of orbital period. Using the 11 yr data set from the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav), we look for variations from our models of pulse arrival times due to the presence of exoplanets. No planets are detected around the millisecond pulsars in the NANOGrav 11 yr data set, but taking into consideration the noise levels of each pulsar and the sampling rate of our observations, we develop limits that show we are sensitive to planetary masses as low as that of the moon. We analyzed potential planet periods, P, in the range 7 days < P < 2000 days, with somewhat smaller ranges for some binary pulsars. The planetary-mass limit for our median-sensitivity pulsar within this period range is .",

keywords = "Millisecond pulsars, Pulsar planets, Pulsar timing method, Exoplanet detection methods, BINARY, SYSTEM, STAR, EVOLUTION",

author = "Behrens, {E. A.} and Ransom, {S. M.} and Madison, {D. R.} and Z. Arzoumanian and K. Crowter and DeCesar, {M. E.} and Demorest, {P. B.} and T. Dolch and Ellis, {J. A.} and Ferdman, {R. D.} and Ferrara, {E. C.} and E. Fonseca and Gentile, {P. A.} and G. Jones and Jones, {M. L.} and Lam, {M. T.} and L. Levin and Lorimer, {D. R.} and Lynch, {R. S.} and McLaughlin, {M. A.} and C. Ng and Nice, {D. J.} and Pennucci, {T. T.} and Perera, {B. B. P.} and Ray, {P. S.} and R. Spiewak and Stairs, {I. H.} and K. Stovall and Swiggum, {J. K.} and Zhu, {W. W.}",

year = "2020",

month = apr,

day = "10",

doi = "10.3847/2041-8213/ab8121",

language = "English",

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journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

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Behrens, EA, Ransom, SM, Madison, DR, Arzoumanian, Z, Crowter, K, DeCesar, ME, Demorest, PB, Dolch, T, Ellis, JA, Ferdman, RD, Ferrara, EC, Fonseca, E, Gentile, PA, Jones, G, Jones, ML, Lam, MT, Levin, L, Lorimer, DR, Lynch, RS, McLaughlin, MA, Ng, C, Nice, DJ, Pennucci, TT, Perera, BBP, Ray, PS, Spiewak, R, Stairs, IH, Stovall, K, Swiggum, JK & Zhu, WW 2020, 'The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Constraints on planetary masses around 45 millisecond pulsars', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 893, no. 1, L8. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab8121

TY - JOUR

T1 - The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Constraints on planetary masses around 45 millisecond pulsars

AU - Behrens, E. A.

AU - Ransom, S. M.

AU - Madison, D. R.

AU - Arzoumanian, Z.

AU - Crowter, K.

AU - DeCesar, M. E.

AU - Demorest, P. B.

AU - Dolch, T.

AU - Ellis, J. A.

AU - Ferdman, R. D.

AU - Ferrara, E. C.

AU - Fonseca, E.

AU - Gentile, P. A.

AU - Jones, G.

AU - Jones, M. L.

AU - Lam, M. T.

AU - Levin, L.

AU - Lorimer, D. R.

AU - Lynch, R. S.

AU - McLaughlin, M. A.

AU - Ng, C.

AU - Nice, D. J.

AU - Pennucci, T. T.

AU - Perera, B. B. P.

AU - Ray, P. S.

AU - Spiewak, R.

AU - Stairs, I. H.

AU - Stovall, K.

AU - Swiggum, J. K.

AU - Zhu, W. W.

PY - 2020/4/10

Y1 - 2020/4/10

N2 - We search for extrasolar planets around millisecond pulsars using pulsar timing data and seek to determine the minimum detectable planetary masses as a function of orbital period. Using the 11 yr data set from the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav), we look for variations from our models of pulse arrival times due to the presence of exoplanets. No planets are detected around the millisecond pulsars in the NANOGrav 11 yr data set, but taking into consideration the noise levels of each pulsar and the sampling rate of our observations, we develop limits that show we are sensitive to planetary masses as low as that of the moon. We analyzed potential planet periods, P, in the range 7 days < P < 2000 days, with somewhat smaller ranges for some binary pulsars. The planetary-mass limit for our median-sensitivity pulsar within this period range is .

AB - We search for extrasolar planets around millisecond pulsars using pulsar timing data and seek to determine the minimum detectable planetary masses as a function of orbital period. Using the 11 yr data set from the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav), we look for variations from our models of pulse arrival times due to the presence of exoplanets. No planets are detected around the millisecond pulsars in the NANOGrav 11 yr data set, but taking into consideration the noise levels of each pulsar and the sampling rate of our observations, we develop limits that show we are sensitive to planetary masses as low as that of the moon. We analyzed potential planet periods, P, in the range 7 days < P < 2000 days, with somewhat smaller ranges for some binary pulsars. The planetary-mass limit for our median-sensitivity pulsar within this period range is .

KW - Millisecond pulsars

KW - Pulsar planets

KW - Pulsar timing method

KW - Exoplanet detection methods

KW - BINARY

KW - SYSTEM

KW - STAR

KW - EVOLUTION

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085151069&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3847/2041-8213/ab8121

DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/ab8121

M3 - Article

VL - 893

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

SN - 2041-8205

IS - 1

M1 - L8

ER -

The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Constraints on planetary masses around 45 millisecond pulsars

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Robert Ferdman

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The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Constraints on planetary masses around 45 millisecond pulsars

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Robert Ferdman

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