Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-10-2004
Abstract
General expressions for the expected timing residuals induced by gravitational wave (G-wave) emission from a slowly evolving, eccentric, binary black hole system are derived here for the first time. These expressions are used to search for the signature of G-waves emitted by the proposed supermassive binary black hole system in 3C 66B. We use data from long-term timing observations of the radio pulsar PSR B1855+09. For the case of a circular orbit, the emitted G-waves should generate clearly detectable fluctuations in the pulse-arrival times of PSR B1855+09. Since no G-waves are detected, the waveforms are used in a Monte Carlo analysis in order to place limits on the mass and eccentricity of the proposed black hole system. The analysis presented here rules out the adopted system with 95% confidence. The reported analysis also demonstrates several interesting features of a G-wave detector based on pulsar timing.
Recommended Citation
Fredrick A. Jenet, et. al., (2004) Constraining the properties of supermassive black hole systems using pulsar timing: Application to 3C 66B.Astrophysical Journal606:2 I799. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1086/383020
First Page
799
Last Page
803
Publication Title
Astrophysical Journal
DOI
10.1086/383020
Comments
© Astrophysical Journal. Original version available at: http://doi.org/10.1086/383020