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PIRSA:12110044

Video URL

https://pirsa.org/12110044

Detecting Gravitational Waves with Millisecond Pulsars

Demorest, P. (2012). Detecting Gravitational Waves with Millisecond Pulsars. Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. https://pirsa.org/12110044

Paul Demorest National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Talk numberPIRSA:12110044
DOI10.48660/12110044
Source RepositoryPIRSA
Collection
Talk Type Scientific Series
Subject

Abstract

Millisecond spin-period radio pulsars provide us with unique astronomical "laboratories" for exploring fundamental physics in a variety of ways -- from the physics of matter at super-nuclear density, to experimental tests of gravity. They have also provided the only experimental evidence so far for the existence of gravitational waves (GW).  A set of millisecond pulsars acting as precise astronomical clocks may also be used as a direct GW detector, sensitive to the nanohertz-frequency GW expected to be emitted by supermassive black hole binary systems or other more exotic sources.  In this talk I will present the project status and recent GW upper limits from the NANOGrav project.  I will also discuss expected near-future improvements in the measurement, including recent work aimed at better characterizing and mitigating the effect of multi-path propagation effects in the interstellar medium.