Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Backgrounds: Current Detection Efforts and Future Prospects
The collection of individually resolvable gravitational wave (GW) events makes up a tiny fraction of all GW signals that reach our detectors, while most lie below the confusion limit and are undetected. Similarly to voices in a crowded room, the collection of unresolved signals gives rise to a backg...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Galaxies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4434/10/1/34 |
| _version_ | 1827654764062572544 |
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| author | Arianna I. Renzini Boris Goncharov Alexander C. Jenkins Patrick M. Meyers |
| author_facet | Arianna I. Renzini Boris Goncharov Alexander C. Jenkins Patrick M. Meyers |
| author_sort | Arianna I. Renzini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The collection of individually resolvable gravitational wave (GW) events makes up a tiny fraction of all GW signals that reach our detectors, while most lie below the confusion limit and are undetected. Similarly to voices in a crowded room, the collection of unresolved signals gives rise to a background that is well-described via stochastic variables and, hence, referred to as the stochastic GW background (SGWB). In this review, we provide an overview of stochastic GW signals and characterise them based on features of interest such as generation processes and observational properties. We then review the current detection strategies for stochastic backgrounds, offering a ready-to-use manual for stochastic GW searches in real data. In the process, we distinguish between interferometric measurements of GWs, either by ground-based or space-based laser interferometers, and timing-residuals analyses with pulsar timing arrays (PTAs). These detection methods have been applied to real data both by large GW collaborations and smaller research groups, and the most recent and instructive results are reported here. We close this review with an outlook on future observations with third generation detectors, space-based interferometers, and potential noninterferometric detection methods proposed in the literature. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:54:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0a429383bdbd4660b9f2aea7fe8fc495 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4434 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:54:23Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Galaxies |
| spelling | doaj.art-0a429383bdbd4660b9f2aea7fe8fc4952023-11-23T20:00:43ZengMDPI AGGalaxies2075-44342022-02-011013410.3390/galaxies10010034Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Backgrounds: Current Detection Efforts and Future ProspectsArianna I. Renzini0Boris Goncharov1Alexander C. Jenkins2Patrick M. Meyers3LIGO Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAGran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), I-67100 L’Aquila, ItalyDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UKTheoretical Astrophysics Group, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAThe collection of individually resolvable gravitational wave (GW) events makes up a tiny fraction of all GW signals that reach our detectors, while most lie below the confusion limit and are undetected. Similarly to voices in a crowded room, the collection of unresolved signals gives rise to a background that is well-described via stochastic variables and, hence, referred to as the stochastic GW background (SGWB). In this review, we provide an overview of stochastic GW signals and characterise them based on features of interest such as generation processes and observational properties. We then review the current detection strategies for stochastic backgrounds, offering a ready-to-use manual for stochastic GW searches in real data. In the process, we distinguish between interferometric measurements of GWs, either by ground-based or space-based laser interferometers, and timing-residuals analyses with pulsar timing arrays (PTAs). These detection methods have been applied to real data both by large GW collaborations and smaller research groups, and the most recent and instructive results are reported here. We close this review with an outlook on future observations with third generation detectors, space-based interferometers, and potential noninterferometric detection methods proposed in the literature.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4434/10/1/34gravitational wavesgravitational-wave backgroundsstochastic gravitational-wave backgroundsstochastic searches of gravitational wavesgravitational-wave laser interferometerspulsar timing arrays |
| spellingShingle | Arianna I. Renzini Boris Goncharov Alexander C. Jenkins Patrick M. Meyers Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Backgrounds: Current Detection Efforts and Future Prospects Galaxies gravitational waves gravitational-wave backgrounds stochastic gravitational-wave backgrounds stochastic searches of gravitational waves gravitational-wave laser interferometers pulsar timing arrays |
| title | Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Backgrounds: Current Detection Efforts and Future Prospects |
| title_full | Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Backgrounds: Current Detection Efforts and Future Prospects |
| title_fullStr | Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Backgrounds: Current Detection Efforts and Future Prospects |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Backgrounds: Current Detection Efforts and Future Prospects |
| title_short | Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Backgrounds: Current Detection Efforts and Future Prospects |
| title_sort | stochastic gravitational wave backgrounds current detection efforts and future prospects |
| topic | gravitational waves gravitational-wave backgrounds stochastic gravitational-wave backgrounds stochastic searches of gravitational waves gravitational-wave laser interferometers pulsar timing arrays |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4434/10/1/34 |
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