Quest for CMB spectral distortions to probe the scalar-induced gravitational wave background interpretation of pulsar timing array data

Abstract

Gravitational Waves (GW) sourced by second-order primordial curvature fluctuations are among the favored models fitting the recent pulsar timing array (PTA) measurement of a stochastic GW background (SGWB). We study how spectral distortions (SDs) and anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) can constrain such scalar fluctuations. Whereas COBE FIRAS data have no sufficient sensitivity to probe the PTA log-normal hypothesis, we show how future PIXIE-like experiments can detect the CMB SDs from the scalar-induced interpretation of the SGWB in PTA data. We finally show how the transformative synergy between PTA data and future CMB SD measurements is important for reconstructing primordial fluctuations at these small scales.

8 pages, 3 figures + supplemental materials. v2 matches version published by PRD

References in corpus (41)

• The NANOGrav 15-year Data Set: Evidence for a Gravitational-Wave Background
• Search for an isotropic gravitational-wave background with the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array
• Searching for the nano-Hertz stochastic gravitational wave background with the Chinese Pulsar Timing Array Data Release I
• The second data release from the European Pulsar Timing Array III. Search for gravitational wave signals
• The NANOGrav 15-year Data Set: Search for Signals from New Physics
• Gravitational Wave Spectrum Induced by Primordial Scalar Perturbations
• The cosmological gravitational wave background from primordial density perturbations
• Cosmic microwave background limits on accreting primordial black holes
• Science with the space-based interferometer LISA. IV: Probing inflation with gravitational waves
• Cosmology with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna
• The recent gravitational wave observation by pulsar timing arrays and primordial black holes: the importance of non-gaussianities
• Generating PBHs and small-scale GWs in two-field models of inflation
• Gravitational Waves Induced by Scalar Perturbations with a Lognormal Peak
• Testing scenarios of primordial black holes being the seeds of supermassive black holes by ultracompact minihalos and CMB $\mu$-distortions
• Primordial non-gaussianity up to all orders: theoretical aspects and implications for primordial black hole models
• Oscillations in the stochastic gravitational wave background from sharp features and particle production during inflation
• Primordial gravitational waves in the nano-Hertz regime and PTA data -- towards solving the GW inverse problem
• Cosmological Background Interpretation of Pulsar Timing Array Data
• The power spectrum on small scales: Robust constraints and comparing PBH methodologies
• Non-perturbative non-Gaussianity and primordial black holes
• Limits on scalar-induced gravitational waves from the stochastic background by pulsar timing array observations
• Implications for the non-Gaussianity of curvature perturbation from pulsar timing arrays
• Probing Primordial Features with the Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background
• The synergy between CMB spectral distortions and anisotropies
• Hybrid $\alpha$-attractors, primordial black holes and gravitational wave backgrounds
• The Detected Stochastic Gravitational Waves and Subsolar-Mass Primordial Black Holes
• Implications of Pulsar Timing Array Data for Scalar-Induced Gravitational Waves and Primordial Black Holes: Primordial Non-Gaussianity $f_{\mathrm{NL}}$ Considered
• No-go Theorem for Scalar-Trispectrum-Induced Gravitational Waves
• Multi-messenger Probes of Inflationary Fluctuations and Primordial Black Holes
• Search for scalar induced gravitational waves in the International Pulsar Timing Array Data Release 2 and NANOgrav 12.5 years datasets
• CMB spectral distortions revisited: a new take on $\mu$ distortions and primordial non-Gaussianities from FIRAS data
• Accounting for scalar non-Gaussianity in secondary gravitational waves
• Spectral distortions from the dissipation of tensor perturbations
• Complete analysis of the background and anisotropies of scalar-induced gravitational waves: primordial non-Gaussianity $f_{\mathrm{NL}}$ and $g_{\mathrm{NL}}$ considered
• CMB $\mu$ distortion from primordial gravitational waves
• Observing nulling of primordial correlations via the 21 cm signal
• Constraining the Initial Primordial Black Hole Clustering with CMB-distortion
• CMB $\mu T$ cross-correlations as a probe of PBH scenarios
• Smooth vs instant inflationary transitions: steepest growth re-examined and primordial black holes
• Spectral Distortion Anisotropy from Inflation for Primordial Black Holes
• Impact of Dust on Spectral Distortion Measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background

Cited by in corpus (8)

• Enhancement of primordial curvature perturbations in $R^3$-corrected Starobinsky-Higgs inflation
• Inflation in $F(R)$ gravity models revisited after ACT
• Can we distinguish the adiabatic fluctuations and isocurvature fluctuations with pulsar timing arrays?
• One-loop corrections to the E-type $\alpha$-attractor models of inflation and primordial black hole production
• Robust μ-distortion constraints on primordial supermassive black holes from cubic (gNL) non-Gaussian perturbations
• Implications for Pulsar Timing Arrays of Sub-solar Black Hole Detections: From LVK to Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer
• Primordial black holes save $R^2$ inflation
• Constraining inflation with nonminimal derivative coupling with the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array third data release