Constraining alternative polarization states of gravitational waves from individual black hole binaries using pulsar timing arrays

Abstract

Pulsar timing arrays are sensitive to gravitational wave perturbations produced by individual supermassive black hole binaries during their early inspiral phase. Modified gravity theories allow for the emission of gravitational dipole radiation, which is enhanced relative to the quadrupole contribution for low orbital velocities, making the early inspiral an ideal regime to test for the presence of modified gravity effects. Using a theory-agnostic description of modified gravity theories based on the parametrized post-Einsteinian framework, we explore the possibility of detecting deviations from General Relativity using simulated pulsar timing array data, and provide forecasts for the constraints that can be achieved. We generalize the {\tt enterprise} pulsar timing software to account for possible additional polarization states and modifications to the phase evolution, and study how accurately the parameters of simulated signals can be recovered. We find that while a pure dipole model can partially recover a pure quadrupole signal, there is little possibility for confusion when the full model with all polarization states is used. With no signal present, and using noise levels comparable to those seen in contemporary arrays, we produce forecasts for the upper limits that can be placed on the amplitudes of alternative polarization modes as a function of the sky location of the source.

12 pages, 8 figures

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Cited by in corpus (14)

• The NANOGrav 12.5-year data set: Search for Non-Einsteinian Polarization Modes in theGravitational-Wave Background
• Minimally modified gravity with an auxiliary constraint: a Hamiltonian construction
• Constraining the Extra Polarization Modes of Gravitational Waves with Double White Dwarfs
• Beyond the Hellings-Downs curve: Non-Einsteinian gravitational waves in pulsar timing array correlations
• Charting the Nanohertz Gravitational Wave Sky with Pulsar Timing Arrays
• Probing new fundamental fields with Extreme Mass Ratio Inspirals
• Detection of gravitational wave mixed polarization with single space-based detectors
• Fundamental Physics and Cosmology with TianQin
• Efficient Bayesian inference and model selection for continuous gravitational waves in pulsar timing array data
• Prospects of constraining on the polarizations of gravitational waves from binary black holes using space- and ground-based detectors
• Unveiling the existence of nontensorial gravitational-wave polarizations from individual supermassive black hole binaries with pulsar timing arrays
• Realistic assessment of a single gravitational wave source localization taking into account precise pulsar distances with pulsar timing arrays
• Constraints and detection capabilities of GW polarizations with space-based detectors in different TDI combinations
• Fast Bayesian analysis of individual binaries in pulsar timing array data