Pulsar timing arrays  [slides]

Abstract

The gravitational wave spectrum spans a large range of frequencies with various experiments covering different parts of the spectrum. At the low end of the spectrum, in the nanoHertz regime, we use so-called Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs) to try and detect gravitational waves. PTAs observe tens of millisecond pulsars spread throughout our Galaxy to form a galactic-scale detector. The primary signal PTAs attempt to detect are mergers of supermassive blackholes but we are also sensitive to more exotic sources like cosmic strings. During this talk I'll provide you with an overview of the history of PTAs, current efforts and struggles, as well as the outlook into the bright future.