We study whether the signal seen by pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) may originate from gravitational waves (GWs) induced by large primordial perturbations. Such perturbations may be accompanied by a sizable primordial black hole (PBH) abundance. We improve existing analyses and show that PBH overproduction disfavors Gaussian scenarios for scalar-induced GWs at 2 sigmas and single-field inflationary scenarios, accounting for non-Gaussianity, at 3 sigmas as the explanation of the most constraining NANOGrav 15-year data. This tension can be relaxed in models where non-Gaussianities suppress the PBH abundance. On the flip side, the PTA data does not constrain the abundance of PBHs.

The recent gravitational wave observation by pulsar timing arrays and primordial black holes: the importance of non-Gaussianities / Franciolini, Gabriele; Iovino, Antonio Junior; Vaskonen, Ville; Veermae, Hardi. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS. - ISSN 0031-9007. - 131:20(2023), pp. 1-15. [10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.201401]

The recent gravitational wave observation by pulsar timing arrays and primordial black holes: the importance of non-Gaussianities

Franciolini, Gabriele
;
Iovino, Antonio Junior
;
2023

Abstract

We study whether the signal seen by pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) may originate from gravitational waves (GWs) induced by large primordial perturbations. Such perturbations may be accompanied by a sizable primordial black hole (PBH) abundance. We improve existing analyses and show that PBH overproduction disfavors Gaussian scenarios for scalar-induced GWs at 2 sigmas and single-field inflationary scenarios, accounting for non-Gaussianity, at 3 sigmas as the explanation of the most constraining NANOGrav 15-year data. This tension can be relaxed in models where non-Gaussianities suppress the PBH abundance. On the flip side, the PTA data does not constrain the abundance of PBHs.
2023
gravitational waves; primordial black holes; Gaussian scenario
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
The recent gravitational wave observation by pulsar timing arrays and primordial black holes: the importance of non-Gaussianities / Franciolini, Gabriele; Iovino, Antonio Junior; Vaskonen, Ville; Veermae, Hardi. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS. - ISSN 0031-9007. - 131:20(2023), pp. 1-15. [10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.201401]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1692802
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