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（SMBHB）-仍然隐藏着我们，尽管在它们周围物质的电磁信号中有它们影响的痕迹。通过甚大阵列（VLA）和甚长基线阵列（VLBA）在电磁波段找到它们的有针对性的调查将用于改进它们的引力波发射模型。 利用世界领先的脉冲星定时阵列NANOGrav收集的12-15年的数据，结合VLA和VLBI的模型，将进行系统的搜索，以首次检测SMBHB系统，或者在未检测到的情况下限制其进化过程。这项工作将成为未来“多信使”搜索的模板，联合收割机电磁和重力领域来检测和研究SMBHB。本科生将参加这项研究，这将给他们在干优秀的培训。 STEM推广的创新方法是基于这项研究的网络演示，以“科学广告”的形式，让公众参与引力天文学的曙光时代。这项研究旨在探测来自双星和/或合并超大质量黑洞（SMBHB）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星系合并的调查，这些星系合并是当前SMBHB主机的主要候选者。 电磁搜索组件将为系统提供额外的限制，并将努力提高NANOGrav对任何居民SMBHB的敏感性。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检测，对SMBHB演化做出具体而独特的陈述。 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进行严格限制。 NANOGrav的灵敏度正在提高，这项研究可能会导致检测，如果没有将作为未来的“多信使”搜索的模板。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

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.