Constraining the Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background with Photometric Surveys

Abstract

The detection of the Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background (SGWB) is essential for understanding black hole populations, especially for supermassive black hole binaries. The recent promising results from various Pulsar Timing Array (PTA) collaborations allude to an imminent detection. In this paper, we investigate the relative astrometric gravitational wave detection method, which can contribute to SGWB studies in the microhertz range. We consider the Roman Space Telescope and Gaia as candidates and quantitatively discuss the survey sensitivity in both the frequency and spatial domains. We emphasize the importance of survey specific constraints on performance estimates by considering mean field of view (FoV) signal subtraction and angular power spectrum binning. We conclude that if the SGWB is at a similar level as in PTA estimates, both Roman and Gaia have the potential to detect this frequency-domain power excess. However, both Roman and Gaia are subject to FoV limitations, and are unlikely to be sensitive to the spatial pattern of the SGWB.

7 pages, 2 figures; updated with minor text changes

References in corpus (13)

• The NumPy array: a structure for efficient numerical computation
• GW170817: Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Neutron Star Inspiral
• The Gaia mission
• Laser Interferometer Space Antenna
• The TianQin project: current progress on science and technology
• The International Pulsar Timing Array second data release: Search for an isotropic Gravitational Wave Background
• On the evidence for a common-spectrum process in the search for the nanohertz gravitational-wave background with the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array
• Common-red-signal analysis with 24-yr high-precision timing of the European Pulsar Timing Array: Inferences in the stochastic gravitational-wave background search
• Expected properties of the first gravitational wave signal detected with pulsar timing arrays
• Scientific Potential of DECIGO Pathfinder and Testing GR with Space-Borne Gravitational Wave Interferometers
• Asteroids for $\mu$Hz gravitational-wave detection
• Astrometric Effects of Gravitational Wave Backgrounds with non-Luminal Propagation Speeds
• All-sky analysis of astrochronometric signals induced by gravitational waves

Cited by in corpus (13)

• Induced Gravitational Wave interpretation of PTA data: a complete study for general equation of state
• Ultra-low mass PBHs in the early universe can explain the PTA signal
• Stochastic gravitational wave background constraints from Gaia DR3 astrometry
• Dissecting the Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background with Astrometry
• Black holes and gravitational waves from phase transitions in realistic models
• Probing Parity Violation in the Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background with Astrometry
• Gravitational Wave Measurement in the Mid-Band with Atom Interferometers
• Dark Photon Dark Matter and Low-Frequency Gravitational Wave Detection with Gaia-like Astrometry
• Astrometry meets Pulsar Timing Arrays: Synergies for Gravitational Wave Detection
• Identifying the Quadrupolar Nature of Gravitational Wave Background through Space-based Missions
• Outer Solar System spacecraft to probe the $\mu$Hz gravitational wave frontier
• The Dark Side of the Moon: Listening to Scalar-Induced Gravitational Waves
• Time-dependent deflection reconstruction: new technique to search for gravitational waves with the cosmic microwave background