Searching for the Nano-Hertz Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background with the Chinese Pulsar Timing Array Data ReleaseⅠ

Observing and timing a group of millisecond pulsars with high rotational stability enables the direct detection of gravitational waves(GWs).The GW signals can be identified from the spatial correlations encoded in the times-of-arrival of widely spaced pulsar-pairs.The Chinese Pulsar Timing Array(CPTA)is a collaboration aiming at the direct GW detection with observations carried out using Chinese radio telescopes.This short article serves as a“table of contents”for a forthcoming series of papers related to the CPTA Data Release 1(CPTA DR1)which uses observations from the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope.Here,after summarizing the time span and accuracy of CPTA DR1,we report the key results of our statistical inference finding a correlated signal with amplitude logA_(c)=-14.4_(-2.8)^(+1.0)for spectral index in the range ofα∈[-1.8,1.5]assuming a GW background(GWB)induced quadrupolar correlation.The search for the Hellings–Downs(HD)correlation curve is also presented,where some evidence for the HD correlation has been found that a 4.6σstatistical significance is achieved using the discrete frequency method around the frequency of 14 n Hz.We expect that the future International Pulsar Timing Array data analysis and the next CPTA data release will be more sensitive to the n Hz GWB,which could verify the current results.

Imprints of relic gravitational waves on pulsar timing

Relic gravitational waves （RGWs）, a background originating during inflation, would leave imprints on pulsar timing residuals. This makes RGWs an important source for detection of RGWs using the method of pulsar timing. In this paper, we discuss the effects of RGWs on single pulsar timing, and quantitatively analyze the timing residuals caused by RGWs with different model parameters. In principle, if the RGWs are strong enough today, they can be detected by timing a single millisecond pulsar with high precision after the intrinsic red noises in pulsar timing residuals are understood, even though simultaneously observing multiple millisecond pulsars is a more powerful technique for extracting gravitational wave signals. We correct the normalization of RGWs using observations of the cosmic microwave background （CMB）, which leads to the amplitudes of RGWs being reduced by two orders of magnitude or so compared to our previous works. We obtained new constraints on RGWs using recent observations from the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array, employing the tensor-to-scalar ratio r = 0.2 due to the tensor-type polarization observations of CMB by BICEP2 as a reference value, even though its reliability has been brought into question. Moreover, the constraints on RGWs from CMB and Big Bang nucleosynthesis will also be discussed for comparison.

Long-term evolution and gravitational wave radiation of neutron stars with differential rotation induced by r-modes

In a second-order r-mode theory, Sa and Tome found that the r-mode oscillation in neutron stars （NSs） could induce stellar differential rotation, which naturally leads to a saturated state of the oscillation. Based on a consideration of the coupling of the r-modes and the stellar spin and thermal evolution, we carefully investigate the influences of the differential rotation on the long-term evolution of isolated NSs and NSs in low-mass X-ray binaries, where the viscous damping of the r-modes and its resultant effects are taken into account. The numerical results show that, for both kinds of NSs, the differential rotation can significantly prolong the duration of the r-modes. As a result, the stars can keep nearly a constant temperature and constant angular velocity for over a thousand years. Moreover, the persistent radiation of a quasi-monochromatic gravitational wave would also be predicted due to the long-term steady r-mode oscillation and stellar rotation. This increases the detectability of gravitational waves from both young isolated and old accreting NSs.

Simulation of the orbit and spin period evolution of the double pulsars PSR J0737-3039 from their birth to coalescence induced by gravitational wave radiation

The complete orbital and spin period evolutions of the double neutron star(NS)system PSR J0737-3039 are simulated from birth to coalescence,which include the two observed radio pulsars classified as primary NS PSR J0737-3039 A and companion NS PSR J0737-3039 B.By employing the characteristic age of PSR J0737-3039 B to constrain the true age of the double pulsar system,the initial orbital period and initial binary separation are obtained as 2.89 h and 1.44 x 106 km,respectively,and the coalescence age or the lifetime from the birth to merger of PSR J0737-3039 is obtained to be 1.38×10^(8)yr.At the last minute of coalescence,corresponding to the gravitational wave frequency changing from 20 Hz to1180 Hz,we present the binary separation of PSR J0737-3039 to be from 442 km to 30 km,while the spin periods of PSR J0737-3039 A and PSR J0737-3039 B are 27.10 ms and 4.63 s,respectively.From the standard radio pulsar emission model,before the system merged,the primary NS could still be observed by a radio telescope,but the companion NS had crossed the death line in the pulsar magnetic-field versus period(B-P)diagram at which point it is usually considered to cease life as a pulsar.This is the first time that the whole life evolutionary simulation of the orbit and spin periods for a double NS system is presented,which provides useful information for observing a primary NS at the coalescence stage.

Gravitational waves from compact objects

Large ground-based laser beam interferometers are presently in operation both in the USA （LIGO） and in Europe （VIRGO） and potential sources that might be detected by these instruments are revisited. The present generation of detectors does not have a sensitivity high enough to probe a significant volume of the universe and, consequently, predicted event rates are very low. The planned advanced generation of interferometers will probably be able to detect, for the first time, a gravitational sig- nal. Advanced LIGO and EGO instruments are expected to detect few （some）： binary coalescences consisting of either two neutron stars, two black holes or a neutron star and a black hole. In space, the sensitivity of the planned LISA spacecraft constellation will allow the detection of the gravitational signals, even within a ＂pessimistic＂ range of possible signals, produced during the capture of compact objects by supermassive black holes, at a rate of a few tens per year.

Pulsar timing residuals due to individual non-evolving gravitational wave sources

The pulsar timing residuals induced by gravitational waves from non- evolving single binary sources are affected by many parameters related to the relative positions of the pulsar and the gravitational wave sources. We will analyze the various effects due to different parameters. The standard deviations of the timing residuals will be calculated with a variable parameter fixing a set of other parameters. The or- bits of the binary sources will be generally assumed to be elliptical. The influences of different eccentricities on the pulsar timing residuals will also be studied in detail. We find that the effects of the related parameters are quite different, and some of them display certain regularities.

The astrophysical gravitational wave stochastic background

A stochastic background of gravitational waves with astrophysical origins may have＇resulted from the superposition of a large number of unresolved sources since the beginning of stellar activity. Its detection would put very strong constraints on the physical properties of compact objects, the initial mass function and star for- marion history. On the other hand, it could be a ＇noise＇ that would mask the stochastic background of its cosmological origin. We review the main astrophysical processes which are able to produce a stochastic background and discuss how they may differ from the primordial contribution in terms of statistical properties. Current detection methods are also presented.

Merging strangeon stars

The state of supranuclear matter in compact stars remains puzzling, and it is argued that pul- sars could be strangeon stars. What would happen if binary strangeon stars merge？ This kind of merger could result in the formation of a hyper-massive strangeon star, accompanied by bursts of gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation （and even a strangeon kilonova explained in the paper）. The tidal polarizability of binary strangeon stars is different from that of binary neutron stars, because a strangeon star is self-bound on the surface by the fundamental strong force while a neutron star by the gravity, and their equations of state are different. Our calculation shows that the tidal polarizability of merging bi- nary strangeon stars is favored by GW170817. Three kinds of kilonovae （i.e., of neutron, quark and strangeon） are discussed, and the light curve of the kilonova AT 2017gfo following GW170817 could be explained by considering the decaying strangeon nuggets and remnant star spin-down. Additionally, the energy ejected to the fireball around the nascent remnant strangeon star, being manifested as a gamma-ray burst, is calculated. It is found that, after a prompt burst, an X-ray plateau could follow in a timescale of 102 - 103 s. Certainly, the results could be tested also by further observational synergies between gravitational wave detectors （e.g., Advanced LIGO） and X-ray telescopes （e.g., the Chinese HXMT satellite and eXTP mission）, and especially if the detected gravitational wave form is checked by peculiar equations of state provided by the numerical relativistical simulation.

Correcting for the solar wind in pulsar timing observations: the role of simultaneous and low-frequency observations

The primary goal of pulsar timing array projects is to detect ultra-low-frequency gravitational waves. Pulsar data sets are affected by numerous noise processes including varying dispersive delays in the interstellar medium and from the solar wind. The solar wind can lead to rapidly changing variations that, with existing telescopes, can be hard to measure and then remove. In this paper we study the possibility of using a low frequency telescope to aid in such correction for the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array （PPTA） and also discuss whether the ultra-wide-bandwidth receiver for the FAST telescope is sufficient to model solar wind variations. Our key result is that a single wide-bandwidth receiver can be used to model and remove the effect of the solar wind. However, for pulsars that pass close to the Sun such as PSR J1022＋ 1022, the solar wind is so variable that observations at two telescopes separated by a day are insufficient to correct the solar wind effect.

The role of FAST in pulsar timing arrays

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope(FAST) will become one of the world-leading telescopes for pulsar timing array(PTA) research. The primary goals for PTAs are to detect(and subsequently study) ultra-low-frequency gravitational waves, to develop a pulsar-based time standard and to improve solar system planetary ephemerides. FAST will have the sensitivity to observe known pulsars with significantly improved signal-to-noise ratios and will discover a large number of currently unknown pulsars. We describe how FAST will contribute to PTA research and show that jitter-and timing-noise will be the limiting noise processes for FAST data sets. Jitter noise will limit the timing precision achievable over data spans of a few years while timing noise will limit the precision achievable over many years.

FRB 171019:an event of binary neutron star merger?

The fast radio burst,FRB 171019,was relatively bright when discovered first by ASKAP but was identified as a repeater with three faint bursts detected later by GBT and CHIME.These observations lead to the discussion of whether the first bright burst shares the same mechanism with the following repeating bursts.A model of binary neutron star merger is proposed for FRB 171019,in which the first bright burst occurred during the merger event,while the subsequent repeating bursts are starquake-induced,and generally fainter,as the energy release rate for the starquakes can hardly exceed that of the catastrophic merger event.This scenario is consistent with the observation that no later burst detected is as bright as the first one.

Magnetic interaction in ultra-compact binary systems

This article reviews the current works on ultra-compact double-degenerate binaries in the presence of magnetic interaction, in particular, unipolar induction. The orbital dynamics and evolution of compact white-dwarf pairs are discussed in detail. Models and predictions of electron cyclotron masers from unipolar-inductor compact binaries and unipolar-inductor white-dwarf planetary systems are presented. Einstein-Laub effects in compact binaries are briefly discussed.

从宋代“客星”到中国“天眼”中的脉冲星——“李约瑟难题”试答

研究和分析了中国古代天文学的辉煌成就与当今中国＂天眼＂——500 m口径球面射电望远镜（FAST）科学目标——脉冲星的关系。针对宋朝天文学家记录的客星与FAST正在进行的脉冲星观测,详述了宋代客星记录在世界科技史上的贡献;介绍了脉冲星发现历史与基本天体物理特征,以及脉冲星作为FAST科学目标的意义。以客星到脉冲星的千年追寻为线索,探索和尝试回答＂李约瑟难题＂,认为现代科学是人类文明共同体的长期探索结晶,中国在科学早期的发育过程中播撒了创新火种,而西方在文艺复兴运动中不断完善了科学体系,其中东西方科技的交流与传播得益于蒙古帝国在丝绸之路的远征与开拓。

脉冲星发现50年

脉冲星自1967年发现以来,50年的观测和理论研究取得巨大进展,期间曾2次获颁诺贝尔物理学奖。脉冲星以其高度致密和强引力场堪称宇宙天然实验室,可用来验证爱因斯坦广义相对论及进行引力波探测,推动了天文学与物理学研究的发展。本文简介了脉冲星的发现及其性质,并综述了脉冲星导航以及最近建成的500 m口径球面射电望远镜(FAST)的脉冲星探测研究进展。

脉冲星发现55年:中国天眼展望

脉冲星的发现是人类认识宇宙的重要里程碑之一。介绍了脉冲星自发现至今55年来的研究进展,包括引力波与广义相对论的验证、毫秒脉冲星、脉冲星周期跃变、脉冲星射电辐射效率、快速射电暴与河外脉冲星等方面。展望了中国天眼(FAST)未来发现新的特殊类型脉冲星的潜力,如黑洞脉冲星系统亚毫秒脉冲星/新型双脉冲星系统,依此实施更高精度验证引力波实验;利用FAST的高灵敏度、高精度研究脉冲星辐射的精细结构,深入了解其物理机制。

中子星内部结构

中子星是宇宙中一类极端致密的天体,其平均密度超过饱和核物质密度。对这类天体的研究,可以帮助人们了解极端条件下的物理性质,特别是深化关于引力和强力的认识。文章介绍了脉冲星和中子星的概念,并重点阐述了中子星内部结构的不同模型,以及如何通过最大质量和潮汐形变量等观测来检验这些模型。未来发现更多的双中子星并合或中子星黑洞并合事件,有望最终揭开中子星内部结构之谜。