Detecting gravitational waves from the Galactic center with pulsar timing. Issue Volume 9:Issue S303(2013) (22nd May 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ray, Alak; Kocsis, Bence; Zwart, Simon Portegies
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Volume 9:Issue S303(2013)
• Page Start: 419
• Page End: 423
• Publication Date: 2014-05-22
• Subjects: galaxies: nuclei – gravitational waves – pulsars; Astronomy -- Congresses; Astronomy -- Periodicals; 520
• DOI: 10.1017/S1743921314001045
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9213

Abstract

Abstract: Black holes orbiting the supermassive black hole (SMBH) Sgr A* in the Galactic center (GC) of the Milky Way generate gravitational waves (GW). The resulting spectrum, due to stars and black holes (BHs), is continuous below 40 nHz while individual BHs within about 200 AU of the central SMBH stick out in the spectrum at higher frequencies. The GWs can be detected by timing radio pulsars within a few parsecs of this region. Future observations with the Square Kilometer Array of such pulsars with sufficient timing accuracy may be sensitive to signals from intermediate mass BHs (IMBH) in a 3 year observation baseline. The recent detection of radio pulsations from the magnetar SGR J1745–29 very near the GC opens up the possibilities of detecting millisecond pulsars (which can be used as probes of the GWs) through lines of sight with only moderate pulse and angular broadening due to scattering.