On detection of the stochastic gravitational-wave background using the Parkes pulsar timing array

Understand

We search for the signature of an isotropic stochastic gravitational-wave background in pulsar timing observations using a frequency-domain correlation technique.

• These observations, which span roughly 12 yr, were obtained with the 64-m Parkes radio telescope augmented by public domain observations from the Arecibo Observatory.
• A wide range of signal processing issues unique to pulsar timing and not previously presented in the literature are discussed.
• These include the effects of quadratic removal, irregular sampling, and variable errors which exacerbate the spectral leakage inherent in estimating the steep red spectrum of the gravitational-wave background.