The NANOGrav Physics Frontiers Center

这项物理前沿中心（PFC）授予北美纳赫兹引力波天文台（nanogravity）的奖项支持他们对低频引力波（GW）的直接探测和表征的关注，在纳赫兹范围内，比激光干涉仪引力波天文台（LIGO）已经探测到的GW小11个数量级；这两个nsf支持的实验是高度互补的。nanogrv通过监测毫秒脉冲星（MSPs）的脉冲到达时间来进行这项研究，MSPs是超自旋稳定的中子星，因此是宇宙中最精确的天体时钟。GWs引起脉冲到达时间的波动，这些波动在不同脉冲星之间是相关的。发现这些相关性需要引力物理学、数据分析和天体物理学专家在协作环境中协同工作。除了监测已知的msp列表外，nanogravity还定期发现新的msp以添加到他们的研究中。nanogravity通过展览和演讲以及不断增长的社交媒体曝光，吸引了大量普通公众。一个相关的学生研究项目每年涉及150多名本科生，脉冲星搜索合作实验室涉及数百名中学生和高中生及其老师。在不久的将来，最有可能在纳赫兹波段探测到的源是超大质量的双黑洞，它们是在大质量星系合并后形成的。事实上，到目前为止，纳米重力搜索已经为星系及其超大质量黑洞的演化提供了有趣的天体物理学限制。其他来源包括宇宙弦、早期宇宙的相变和暴胀遗留的GW；发现其中任何一种都将是革命性的。GW观测还可以用于研究宇宙加速的起源以及量子力学和广义相对论之间的冲突，这是目前基础物理学面临的两个最深刻的挑战。除了GW之外，nanogravity观测还可以实现高影响力的协同科学，包括约束致密物质状态方程，对广义相对论进行动力学测试，进一步了解电离星际介质，发现奇异的中子星系统和无线电瞬变。该物理前沿中心奖由物理部的物理前沿中心项目和天文科学部的中等规模创新项目共同资助。这个项目推进了NSF宇宙大构想窗口的目标。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) award to the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) supports their focus on the direct detection and characterization of low-frequency gravitational waves (GW), in the nanohertz regime, some eleven orders of magnitude smaller than the GW already detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO); these two NSF-supported experiments are highly complementary. NANOGrav carries out this study by monitoring the pulse arrival times of millisecond pulsars (MSPs), which are ultra-spin-stable neutron stars, and thus the most precise celestial clocks in the Universe. GWs cause fluctuations in pulse arrival times that are correlated among different pulsars. Discovering these correlations requires the synergy of experts in gravitational physics, data analysis, and astrophysics coming together in a collaborative environment. In addition to monitoring a known list of MSPs, NANOGrav routinely discovers new MSPs to add to their study. NANOGrav reaches large numbers of the general public through exhibits and talks, and a growing social media presence. An associated student research program reaches more than 150 undergraduate students every year, and the Pulsar Search Collaboratory involves hundreds of middle and high school students and their teachers.The sources most likely to be detected in the nanohertz band in the near future are supermassive binary black holes that form after massive galaxies merge. In fact, NANOGrav searches so far have already placed astrophysically interesting constraints on the evolution of galaxies and their supermassive black holes. Other sources include cosmic strings, phase transitions in the early universe, and relic GW from inflation; detecting any of these would be transformative. GW observations can also be used to investigate the origin of cosmic acceleration and the conflict between quantum mechanics and general relativity, two of the most profound challenges currently facing fundamental physics. Apart from GW, NANOGrav observations enable high-impact synergistic science, including constraining the dense matter equation of state, making dynamical tests of general relativity, further understanding the ionized interstellar medium, and discovering exotic neutron star systems and radio transients.This Physics Frontiers Centers award is co-funded by the Physics Frontiers Centers Program in the Division of Physics and the Mid-scale Innovations Program in the Division of Astronomical Sciences. This project advances the goals of the NSF Windows on the Universe Big Idea.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.