GBT15B-160

The North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves

Abstract

Direct detection of gravitational waves (GW) is a major goal in
experimental physics and will open an entirely new astronomical
spectrum. Precision pulsar timing stands an excellent chance of being
the first method to accomplish this feat. Combining data from many
objects into a Pulsar Timing Array (PTA) makes GW detection possible.
Long timing baselines (5--10 years) dramatically improve GW sensitivity.
Increasing the number of pulsars in the array also improves sensitivity,
and the past several years have seen a unexpected number of new
millisecond pulsars discovered. New instrumentation for pulsar timing
now provides an order of magnitude more bandwidth than previous
instruments. In this Large Proposal, we request time to continue and
expand our ongoing PTA project over the next three years year, taking
advantage of all these improvements. These results will provide the
best GW sensitivity yet achieved, and will significantly constrain the
astrophysics of GW sources.

Investigators

Name	Institution
Nihan Pol	Oregon State University; Wisconsin at Milwaukee, University of; Texas Tech University
Paul Demorest *	National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Kaleb Maraccini	Wisconsin at Milwaukee, University of
Nicholas Lynch	Pennsylvania State University
Natasha McMann	Fisk University
Zachary Komassa	Wisconsin at Milwaukee, University of
Paul Baker	West Virginia University; Widener University
Megan Jones	Wisconsin at Milwaukee, University of
Ingrid Stairs	British Columbia, University of
Zaven Arzoumanian	Goddard Space Flight Center
Timothy Dolch	Cornell University; Oberlin College; Hillsdale College
Kevin Stovall	National Radio Astronomy Observatory; New Mexico, University of; Texas at Brownsville, University of
Robert Ferdman	McGill University; East Anglia, University of
Emmanuel Fonseca	British Columbia, University of; McGill University; West Virginia University
Glenn Jones	Columbia University
Maura McLaughlin	West Virginia University
Michael Lam	Cornell University; Rochester Institute of Technology; West Virginia University; SETI Institute
Timothy Pennucci	National Radio Astronomy Observatory; Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem
Scott Ransom	National Radio Astronomy Observatory; Virginia, University of
Joseph Swiggum	West Virginia University; Wisconsin at Milwaukee, University of
Weiwei Zhu	British Columbia, University of; Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie; National Astronomical Observatories, CAS
Megan DeCesar	George Mason University
Lina Levin	Manchester, University of; Manchester, University of
Elizabeth Ferrara	Goddard Space Flight Center
Peter Gentile	West Virginia University
Renee Spiewak	Manchester, University of
Ryan Lynch	Green Bank Observatory
Thankful Cromartie	Cornell University; Virginia, University of; Naval Research Laboratory
Paul Brook	West Virginia University
Cherry Ng	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie; Toronto, University of
Dunc Lorimer	West Virginia University
William Fiore	British Columbia, University of; West Virginia University
Jim Cordes	Cornell University
David Nice	Lafayette College
Xavier Siemens	Oregon State University; Wisconsin at Milwaukee, University of

* indicates the PI