Date:
Mon, 28/04/202512:00-13:30
Location:
Place: Levin building, Lecture Hall No. 8
Lecturer: Barak Zackay, Weizmann
Abstract:
Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars, and their precise timing offers a unique window into the detection of gravitational waves in the nano-Hertz band via Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs). Advancing PTA sensitivity—and deepening our understanding of the final stages of exotic binary systems—critically depends on discovering more pulsars. However, pulsar searches are hindered by the complex algorithmic challenge of detecting (modulated) periodic signals in long-duration observational data. In this talk, I will present recent work from my group aimed at enhancing the astrophysical community’s ability to detect subtle, complex signals. First, I will introduce a novel algorithm that identifies periodicity in gamma-ray pulsar time-of-arrival data by leveraging and extending lattice-based cryptographic techniques for finding short vectors. Next, I will describe a breakthrough algorithm for detecting pulsars in binary systems. This method enables a coherent search across the full binary orbital parameter space with the same sensitivity as brute-force approaches—but at many orders of magnitude lower computational cost, rendering previously infeasible searches practical. I will then demonstrate how this framework can be adapted to the search for continuous gravitational waves in LIGO data. If time permits, I will also discuss a new technique for efficiently measuring the parameters of compact binary coalescence events in LIGO, offering significant speedups over existing methods. This has important implications for detecting precessing systems and conducting population studies of binary black holes.
Abstract:
Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars, and their precise timing offers a unique window into the detection of gravitational waves in the nano-Hertz band via Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs). Advancing PTA sensitivity—and deepening our understanding of the final stages of exotic binary systems—critically depends on discovering more pulsars. However, pulsar searches are hindered by the complex algorithmic challenge of detecting (modulated) periodic signals in long-duration observational data. In this talk, I will present recent work from my group aimed at enhancing the astrophysical community’s ability to detect subtle, complex signals. First, I will introduce a novel algorithm that identifies periodicity in gamma-ray pulsar time-of-arrival data by leveraging and extending lattice-based cryptographic techniques for finding short vectors. Next, I will describe a breakthrough algorithm for detecting pulsars in binary systems. This method enables a coherent search across the full binary orbital parameter space with the same sensitivity as brute-force approaches—but at many orders of magnitude lower computational cost, rendering previously infeasible searches practical. I will then demonstrate how this framework can be adapted to the search for continuous gravitational waves in LIGO data. If time permits, I will also discuss a new technique for efficiently measuring the parameters of compact binary coalescence events in LIGO, offering significant speedups over existing methods. This has important implications for detecting precessing systems and conducting population studies of binary black holes.
