Enabling multi-messenger science with pulsar timing arrays

人类正在开始探索宇宙的新阶段。在过去的两年里，引力波已经被直接探测到，但到目前为止，宇宙中最大质量的双星-超大质量黑洞双星(SMBHBs)--仍然隐藏在我们面前，尽管它们在来自周围物质的电磁信号中有影响的痕迹。将使用甚大阵(VLA)和甚长基线阵(VLBA)进行有针对性的调查，以发现它们在电磁带内，以改进它们的引力波发射模型。利用世界领先的脉冲星计时阵列NANOGrav收集的12-15年数据，结合VLA和VLBI的模型，将进行系统搜索，以首次探测到SMBHB系统，或在未探测到的情况下限制其演化过程。这项工作将成为未来“多信使”搜索的模板，这种搜索结合了电磁域和引力域来探测和研究SMBHBs。本科生将参与这项研究，这将使他们在STEM方面得到出色的培训。这项研究旨在探测双星和/或合并超大质量黑洞(SMBHBs)中的引力波和电磁波。将使用脉冲星定时阵列NANOGrav进行有针对性的搜索，并结合VLA和VLBA无线电干涉仪对附近的星系合并进行调查，这些合并是目前SMBHB主机的主要候选对象。电磁搜索组件将对系统提供额外的约束，并将致力于提高NANOGrav对任何常驻SMBHBs的敏感度。这种对纳赫兹频率引力波源的“多信使”搜索将根据VLA、VLBI和NANOGrav数据获得的轨道约束或探测，对SMBHB的演化做出具体和独特的陈述。这项调查将允许使用这些互补的电磁波和引力波搜索方法对候选目标进行深入研究，并将对合并后星系系统中双星演化的效率提供严格限制。NANOGrav的敏感度正在提高，这项研究可能会导致检测，如果不是，将作为未来“多信使”搜索的模板。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Humanity is starting a new phase of exploration of the Universe. In the past two years gravitational waves have been directly detected, but so far, the most massive binaries in the Universe---supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs)---still hide from us, although there are traces of their influence in electromagnetic signals from the material around them. A targeted survey to find them in the electromagnetic band by the Very Large Array (VLA) and Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) will be used to refine models for their gravitational wave emission. Using the 12-15 years of data collected with NANOGrav, the world's leading pulsar timing array, combined with the models from VLA and VLBI, a systematic search will be made to either detect SMBHB systems for the first time, or to constrain their evolutionary processes in the event of a non-detection. This work will be a template for future "multi-messenger" searches that combine the domains of the electromagnetic and gravity to detect and study SMBHBs. Undergraduate students will take part in this research, which will give them excellent training in STEM. An innovative approach to STEM outreach, web-based presentations based on this research, in the form of "science advertisements" will be made to engage the public in the dawning era of gravitational astronomy.This research aims to detect gravitational and electromagnetic waves from binary and/or coalesced supermassive black holes (SMBHBs). A targeted search will be made using NANOGrav, a pulsar timing array, combined with a survey with the VLA and VLBA, radio interferometers, of nearby galaxy mergers that are prime candidates for current SMBHB hosts. The electromagnetic search component will provide added constraints on the systems and will work to raise NANOGrav's sensitivity to any resident SMBHBs. This "multi-messenger" search for nano-hertz frequency gravitational wave sources will make specific and unique statements about SMBHB evolution based on orbital constraints or detections obtained by the VLA, VLBI, and NANOGrav data. This survey will allow an in-depth study of the candidate targets using these complementary electromagnetic and gravitational wave search methods and will provide strict limits on the efficiency of binary evolution in post-merger galaxy systems. NANOGrav's sensitivity is improving and this research may lead to a detection and if not will serve as a template for future "multi-messenger" searches.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.