Gravitational Waves, Extreme Astrophysics, and Fundamental Physics with Precision Pulsar Timing

TL;DR

Precision pulsar timing enables diverse groundbreaking research, including gravitational wave detection, tests of fundamental physics, and insights into astrophysical phenomena, with future data sets promising even greater discoveries.

Contribution

This paper outlines the scientific potential and technical requirements of precision pulsar timing for gravitational wave detection and fundamental physics tests.

Findings

Detection of nanohertz gravitational waves from supermassive black hole binaries.

Constraints on neutron star properties and tests of General Relativity.

Potential to discover low-mass objects and study interstellar medium.

Abstract

Precision pulsar timing at the level of tens to hundreds of nanoseconds allows detection of nanohertz gravitational waves (GWs) from supermassive binary black holes (SMBBHs) at the cores of merging galaxies and, potentially, from exotic sources such as cosmic strings. The same timing data used for GW astronomy also yield precision masses of neutron stars orbiting other compact objects, constraints on the equation of state of nuclear matter, and precision tests of General Relativity, the Strong Equivalence Principle, and alternative theories of gravity. Timing can also lead to stringent constraints on the photon mass and on changes in fundamental constants and could reveal low mass objects (rogue planets, dark matter clumps) that traverse pulsar lines of sight. Data sets also allow modeling of the density, magnetic field, and turbulence in the interstellar plasma. Roughly 100 millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are currently being timed at $\sim$GHz frequencies using the largest radio telescopes in the world. These data sets currently represent ~1000 pulsar-years and will increase dramatically over the next decade. These topics are presented as a program of key science with flowdown technical requirements for achieving the science.