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A simple optimization for the MeerKAT pulsar timing array

delete2025-05-12
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OA
AI
H
H. Middleton *
R
R. M. Shannon
M
M. Bailes
A
A D Cameron
A
A. Corongiu
M
M. Geyer
M
M. H. Jones
M
M. Kramer
M
Miles, Matthew T.
A
A. Parthasarathy
A
Andrea Possenti
D
Daniel J. Reardon
DOI:10.1093/mnras/staf748delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
The goal of the MeerKAT radio telescope's pulsar timing array programme (MPTA) is the detection of gravitational waves (GWs) of nanohertz frequencies. Evidence for such a signal was recently announced by the MPTA and several other pulsar timing array (PTA) consortia. Given an array of pulsars and an observation strategy, we consider whether small adjustments to the observing schedule can provide gains in signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) for a stochastic GW background signal produced by a population of massive black hole binaries. Our approach uses a greedy algorithm to reallocate available integration time between pulsars in the array. The overall time dedicated to MPTA observing is kept constant so that there is only minimal disruption to the current observation strategy. We assume a GW signal consistent with those reported. For the sake of demonstrating our method, we also make several simplifying assumptions about the noise properties of the pulsars in the MPTA. Given these assumptions, we find that small adjustments to the observing schedule can provide an increased S/N by approximate to 20 percent for a 10yr PTA lifespan.
Keywords:
gravitational waves
pulsars: general

Journal

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society cover
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
IF:
4.8
Papers:
7.0W
Citations:
25.0W

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inaf osservatorio astron cagliari
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Max Planck Inst Radioastron
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