The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Limits on gravitational wave memory

K. Aggarwal; Z. Arzoumanian; P. T. Baker; A. Brazier; P. R. Brook; S. Burke-Spolaor; S. Chatterjee; J. M. Cordes; N. J. Cornish; F. Crawford; H. T. Cromartie; K. Crowter; M. Decesar; P. B. Demorest; T. Dolch; J. A. Ellis; R. D. Ferdman; E. C. Ferrara; E. Fonseca; N. Garver-Daniels; P. Gentile; D. Good; J. S. Hazboun; A. M. Holgado; E. A. Huerta; K. Islo; R. Jennings; G. Jones; M. L. Jones; D. L. Kaplan; L. Z. Kelley; J. S. Key; M. T. Lam; T. J. W. Lazio; L. Levin; D. R. Lorimer; J. Luo; R. S. Lynch; D. R. Madison; M. A. McLaughlin; S. T. McWilliams; C. M. F. Mingarelli; C. Ng; D. J. Nice; T. T. Pennucci; N. S. Pol; S. M. Ransom; P. S. Ray; X. Siemens; J. Simon; R. Spiewak; I. H. Stairs; D. R. Stinebring; K. Stovall; J. K. Swiggum; S. R. Taylor; M. Vallisneri; R. Van Haasteren; S. J. Vigeland; C. A. Witt; W. W. Zhu

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab6083

The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Limits on gravitational wave memory

K. Aggarwal, Z. Arzoumanian, P. T. Baker, A. Brazier, P. R. Brook, S. Burke-Spolaor, S. Chatterjee, J. M. Cordes, N. J. Cornish, F. Crawford, H. T. Cromartie, K. Crowter, M. Decesar, P. B. Demorest, T. Dolch, J. A. Ellis, R. D. Ferdman, E. C. Ferrara, E. Fonseca, N. Garver-DanielsP. Gentile, D. Good, J. S. Hazboun, A. M. Holgado, E. A. Huerta, K. Islo, R. Jennings, G. Jones, M. L. Jones, D. L. Kaplan, L. Z. Kelley, J. S. Key, M. T. Lam, T. J. W. Lazio, L. Levin, D. R. Lorimer, J. Luo, R. S. Lynch, D. R. Madison, M. A. McLaughlin, S. T. McWilliams, C. M. F. Mingarelli, C. Ng, D. J. Nice, T. T. Pennucci, N. S. Pol, S. M. Ransom, P. S. Ray, X. Siemens, J. Simon, R. Spiewak, I. H. Stairs, D. R. Stinebring, K. Stovall, J. K. Swiggum, S. R. Taylor, M. Vallisneri, R. Van Haasteren, S. J. Vigeland, C. A. Witt, W. W. Zhu

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Abstract

The mergers of supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) promise to be incredible sources of gravitational waves (GWs). While the oscillatory part of the merger gravitational waveform will be outside the frequency sensitivity range of pulsar timing arrays, the nonoscillatory GW memory effect is detectable. Further, any burst of GWs will produce GW memory, making memory a useful probe of unmodeled exotic sources and new physics. We searched the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) 11 yr data set for GW memory. This data set is sensitive to very low-frequency GWs of similar to 3 to 400 nHz (periods of similar to 11 yr-1 month). Finding no evidence for GWs, we placed limits on the strain amplitude of GW memory events during the observation period. We then used the strain upper limits to place limits on the rate of GW memory causing events. At a strain of 2.5 x 10(-14), corresponding to the median upper limit as a function of source sky position, we set a limit on the rate of GW memory events at eta M similar to 2 x 10(10)

iota = pi/3 at a distance of 1 Gpc. As a test of our analysis, we analyzed the NANOGrav 9 yr data set as well. This analysis found an anomolous signal, which does not appear in the 11 yr data set. This signal is not a GW, and its origin remains unknown.

Original language	English
Article number	38
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	889
Issue number	1
Early online date	23 Jan 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab6083
Publication status	Published - Jan 2020

Keywords

Astronomy data analysis
BURSTS
Gravitational waves
Millisecond pulsars
PULSAR-TIMING PACKAGE
SEARCHES
TEMPO2

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10.3847/1538-4357/ab6083

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ab6083

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Aggarwal, K., Arzoumanian, Z., Baker, P. T., Brazier, A., Brook, P. R., Burke-Spolaor, S., Chatterjee, S., Cordes, J. M., Cornish, N. J., Crawford, F., Cromartie, H. T., Crowter, K., Decesar, M., Demorest, P. B., Dolch, T., Ellis, J. A., Ferdman, R. D., Ferrara, E. C., Fonseca, E., ... Zhu, W. W. (2020). The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Limits on gravitational wave memory. Astrophysical Journal, 889(1), [38]. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab6083

@article{3240bb288cf14a6ab7566afe5fe969c4,

title = "The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Limits on gravitational wave memory",

abstract = "The mergers of supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) promise to be incredible sources of gravitational waves (GWs). While the oscillatory part of the merger gravitational waveform will be outside the frequency sensitivity range of pulsar timing arrays, the nonoscillatory GW memory effect is detectable. Further, any burst of GWs will produce GW memory, making memory a useful probe of unmodeled exotic sources and new physics. We searched the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) 11 yr data set for GW memory. This data set is sensitive to very low-frequency GWs of similar to 3 to 400 nHz (periods of similar to 11 yr-1 month). Finding no evidence for GWs, we placed limits on the strain amplitude of GW memory events during the observation period. We then used the strain upper limits to place limits on the rate of GW memory causing events. At a strain of 2.5 x 10(-14), corresponding to the median upper limit as a function of source sky position, we set a limit on the rate of GW memory events at eta M similar to 2 x 10(10)iota = pi/3 at a distance of 1 Gpc. As a test of our analysis, we analyzed the NANOGrav 9 yr data set as well. This analysis found an anomolous signal, which does not appear in the 11 yr data set. This signal is not a GW, and its origin remains unknown.",

keywords = "Astronomy data analysis, BURSTS, Gravitational waves, Millisecond pulsars, PULSAR-TIMING PACKAGE, SEARCHES, TEMPO2",

author = "K. Aggarwal and Z. Arzoumanian and Baker, {P. T.} and A. Brazier and Brook, {P. R.} and S. Burke-Spolaor and S. Chatterjee and Cordes, {J. M.} and Cornish, {N. J.} and F. Crawford and Cromartie, {H. T.} and K. Crowter and M. Decesar and Demorest, {P. B.} and T. Dolch and Ellis, {J. A.} and Ferdman, {R. D.} and Ferrara, {E. C.} and E. Fonseca and N. Garver-Daniels and P. Gentile and D. Good and Hazboun, {J. S.} and Holgado, {A. M.} and Huerta, {E. A.} and K. Islo and R. Jennings and G. Jones and Jones, {M. L.} and Kaplan, {D. L.} and Kelley, {L. Z.} and Key, {J. S.} and Lam, {M. T.} and Lazio, {T. J. W.} and L. Levin and Lorimer, {D. R.} and J. Luo and Lynch, {R. S.} and Madison, {D. R.} and McLaughlin, {M. A.} and McWilliams, {S. T.} and Mingarelli, {C. M. F.} and C. Ng and Nice, {D. J.} and Pennucci, {T. T.} and Pol, {N. S.} and Ransom, {S. M.} and Ray, {P. S.} and X. Siemens and J. Simon and R. Spiewak and Stairs, {I. H.} and Stinebring, {D. R.} and K. Stovall and Swiggum, {J. K.} and Taylor, {S. R.} and M. Vallisneri and {Van Haasteren}, R. and Vigeland, {S. J.} and Witt, {C. A.} and Zhu, {W. W.}",

year = "2020",

month = jan,

doi = "10.3847/1538-4357/ab6083",

language = "English",

volume = "889",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd",

number = "1",

}

Aggarwal, K, Arzoumanian, Z, Baker, PT, Brazier, A, Brook, PR, Burke-Spolaor, S, Chatterjee, S, Cordes, JM, Cornish, NJ, Crawford, F, Cromartie, HT, Crowter, K, Decesar, M, Demorest, PB, Dolch, T, Ellis, JA, Ferdman, RD, Ferrara, EC, Fonseca, E, Garver-Daniels, N, Gentile, P, Good, D, Hazboun, JS, Holgado, AM, Huerta, EA, Islo, K, Jennings, R, Jones, G, Jones, ML, Kaplan, DL, Kelley, LZ, Key, JS, Lam, MT, Lazio, TJW, Levin, L, Lorimer, DR, Luo, J, Lynch, RS, Madison, DR, McLaughlin, MA, McWilliams, ST, Mingarelli, CMF, Ng, C, Nice, DJ, Pennucci, TT, Pol, NS, Ransom, SM, Ray, PS, Siemens, X, Simon, J, Spiewak, R, Stairs, IH, Stinebring, DR, Stovall, K, Swiggum, JK, Taylor, SR, Vallisneri, M, Van Haasteren, R, Vigeland, SJ, Witt, CA & Zhu, WW 2020, 'The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Limits on gravitational wave memory', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 889, no. 1, 38. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab6083

TY - JOUR

T1 - The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Limits on gravitational wave memory

AU - Aggarwal, K.

AU - Arzoumanian, Z.

AU - Baker, P. T.

AU - Brazier, A.

AU - Brook, P. R.

AU - Burke-Spolaor, S.

AU - Chatterjee, S.

AU - Cordes, J. M.

AU - Cornish, N. J.

AU - Crawford, F.

AU - Cromartie, H. T.

AU - Crowter, K.

AU - Decesar, M.

AU - Demorest, P. B.

AU - Dolch, T.

AU - Ellis, J. A.

AU - Ferdman, R. D.

AU - Ferrara, E. C.

AU - Fonseca, E.

AU - Garver-Daniels, N.

AU - Gentile, P.

AU - Good, D.

AU - Hazboun, J. S.

AU - Holgado, A. M.

AU - Huerta, E. A.

AU - Islo, K.

AU - Jennings, R.

AU - Jones, G.

AU - Jones, M. L.

AU - Kaplan, D. L.

AU - Kelley, L. Z.

AU - Key, J. S.

AU - Lam, M. T.

AU - Lazio, T. J. W.

AU - Levin, L.

AU - Lorimer, D. R.

AU - Luo, J.

AU - Lynch, R. S.

AU - Madison, D. R.

AU - McLaughlin, M. A.

AU - McWilliams, S. T.

AU - Mingarelli, C. M. F.

AU - Ng, C.

AU - Nice, D. J.

AU - Pennucci, T. T.

AU - Pol, N. S.

AU - Ransom, S. M.

AU - Ray, P. S.

AU - Siemens, X.

AU - Simon, J.

AU - Spiewak, R.

AU - Stairs, I. H.

AU - Stinebring, D. R.

AU - Stovall, K.

AU - Swiggum, J. K.

AU - Taylor, S. R.

AU - Vallisneri, M.

AU - Van Haasteren, R.

AU - Vigeland, S. J.

AU - Witt, C. A.

AU - Zhu, W. W.

PY - 2020/1

Y1 - 2020/1

N2 - The mergers of supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) promise to be incredible sources of gravitational waves (GWs). While the oscillatory part of the merger gravitational waveform will be outside the frequency sensitivity range of pulsar timing arrays, the nonoscillatory GW memory effect is detectable. Further, any burst of GWs will produce GW memory, making memory a useful probe of unmodeled exotic sources and new physics. We searched the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) 11 yr data set for GW memory. This data set is sensitive to very low-frequency GWs of similar to 3 to 400 nHz (periods of similar to 11 yr-1 month). Finding no evidence for GWs, we placed limits on the strain amplitude of GW memory events during the observation period. We then used the strain upper limits to place limits on the rate of GW memory causing events. At a strain of 2.5 x 10(-14), corresponding to the median upper limit as a function of source sky position, we set a limit on the rate of GW memory events at eta M similar to 2 x 10(10)iota = pi/3 at a distance of 1 Gpc. As a test of our analysis, we analyzed the NANOGrav 9 yr data set as well. This analysis found an anomolous signal, which does not appear in the 11 yr data set. This signal is not a GW, and its origin remains unknown.

AB - The mergers of supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) promise to be incredible sources of gravitational waves (GWs). While the oscillatory part of the merger gravitational waveform will be outside the frequency sensitivity range of pulsar timing arrays, the nonoscillatory GW memory effect is detectable. Further, any burst of GWs will produce GW memory, making memory a useful probe of unmodeled exotic sources and new physics. We searched the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) 11 yr data set for GW memory. This data set is sensitive to very low-frequency GWs of similar to 3 to 400 nHz (periods of similar to 11 yr-1 month). Finding no evidence for GWs, we placed limits on the strain amplitude of GW memory events during the observation period. We then used the strain upper limits to place limits on the rate of GW memory causing events. At a strain of 2.5 x 10(-14), corresponding to the median upper limit as a function of source sky position, we set a limit on the rate of GW memory events at eta M similar to 2 x 10(10)iota = pi/3 at a distance of 1 Gpc. As a test of our analysis, we analyzed the NANOGrav 9 yr data set as well. This analysis found an anomolous signal, which does not appear in the 11 yr data set. This signal is not a GW, and its origin remains unknown.

KW - Astronomy data analysis

KW - BURSTS

KW - Gravitational waves

KW - Millisecond pulsars

KW - PULSAR-TIMING PACKAGE

KW - SEARCHES

KW - TEMPO2

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85080074644&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/ab6083

DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/ab6083

M3 - Article

VL - 889

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

SN - 0004-637X

IS - 1

M1 - 38

ER -

The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Limits on gravitational wave memory

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Robert Ferdman

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The NANOGrav 11 yr data set: Limits on gravitational wave memory

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