Multi-messenger Astrophysics with Pulsar Timing Arrays: Astro2020 Science White Paper

Kelley, L Z ; Charisi, M ; Burke-Spolaor, S ; Simon, J ; Blecha, L ; Bogdanovic, T ; Colpi, M ; Comerford, J ; D'Orazio, D ; Dotti, M(Milan Univ, Italy)

关键词: ASTROPHYSICS;    BLACK HOLES (ASTRONOMY);    COSMOLOGY;    DEMOGRAPHY;    DETECTION;    GALAXIES;    GRAVITATIONAL WAVES;    LASER INTERFEROMETRY;    LOW FREQUENCIES;    PULSARS;    RED SHIFT;    SURVEYS;    IDENTIFYING;   

RP-ID  :  GSFC-E-DAA-TN66951

学科分类：天体物理学

美国|英语

来源: NASA Technical Reports Server

【 摘 要 】

Pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) are on the verge of detecting low-frequency gravitational waves (GWs)from supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs). With continued observations of a large sampleof millisecond pulsars, PTAs will reach this major milestone within the next decade. Already,SMBHB candidates are being identied by electromagnetic surveys in ever-increasing numbers;upcoming surveys will enhance our ability to detect and verify candidates, and will be instrumentalin identifying the host galaxies of GW sources. Multi-messenger (GW and electromagnetic) obser-vations of SMBHBs will revolutionize our understanding of the co-evolution of SMBHs with theirhost galaxies, the dynamical interactions between binaries and their galactic environments, and thefundamental physics of accretion. Multi-messenger observations can also make SMBHBs `standardsirens' for cosmological distance measurements out to z ~ 0.5 LIGO has already ushered in break-through insights in our knowledge of black holes. The multi-messenger detection of SMBHBs withPTAs will be a breakthrough in the years 2020-2030 and beyond, and prepare us for LISA to helpcomplete our views of black hole demographics and evolution at higher redshifts.