New Limits on Gravitational Radiation using Pulsars

Abstract

We calculate a new gravitational wave background limit using timing residuals from PSRs J1713+0747, B1855+09, and B1937+21. The new limit is based on 17 years of continuous data pieced together from 3 different observing projects: 2 at the Arecibo Observatory and 1 at the 140ft Green Bank Telescope. This project represents the earliest results from the `Pulsar Timing Array' which will soon be able detect the stochastic background from early massive black hole mergers.