First-Order Phase Transition Interpretation of Pulsar Timing Array Signal Is Consistent with Solar-Mass Black Holes

Open Access

First-Order Phase Transition Interpretation of Pulsar Timing Array Signal Is Consistent with Solar-Mass Black Holes

Yann Gouttenoire

Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 171404 – Published 26 October 2023

Abstract

We perform a Bayesian analysis of NANOGrav 15-yr and IPTA DR2 pulsar timing residuals and show that the recently detected stochastic gravitational-wave background is compatible with a stochastic gravitational-wave background produced by bubble dynamics during a cosmological first-order phase transition. The timing data suggest that the phase transition would occur around QCD confinement temperature and would have a slow rate of completion. This scenario can naturally lead to the abundant production of primordial black holes with solar masses. These primordial black holes can potentially be detected by current and advanced gravitational-wave detectors LIGO-Virgo-Kagra, Einstein Telescope, Cosmic Explorer, by astrometry with GAIA, and by 21-cm survey.

Received 12 July 2023
Accepted 8 September 2023

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.171404

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI. Funded by SCOAP³.

Published by the American Physical Society