Constraints on the massive graviton dark matter from pulsar timing and precision astrometry

TL;DR

This paper investigates how pulsar timing and astrometry can constrain theories of massive gravity, showing current measurements limit the contribution of massive gravitons to dark matter.

Contribution

It provides new observational constraints on massive gravity theories using pulsar timing and astrometric data.

Findings

Millisecond pulsar timing accuracy constrains massive gravity theories.

Current astrometric measurements set less stringent limits.

Massive gravitons are unlikely to significantly contribute to dark matter.

Abstract

The effect of a narrow-band isotropic stochastic GW background on pulsar timing and astrometric measurements is studied. Such a background appears in some theories of gravity. We show that the existing millisecond pulsar timing accuracy ($\sim 0.2 \rm{\mu s}$) strongly constrains possible observational consequences of theory of massive gravity with spontaneous Lorentz braking \cite{dtt:2005}, essentially ruling out significant contribution of massive gravitons to the local dark halo density. The present-day accuracy of astrometrical measurements ($\sim 100 \rm{\mu as}$) sets less stringent constraints on this theory.