Bayesian Solar Wind Modeling with Pulsar Timing Arrays

Using Bayesian analyses we study the solar electron density with the NANOGrav 11 yr pulsar timing array (PTA) data set. Our model of the solar wind is incorporated into a global fit starting from pulse times of arrival. We introduce new tools developed for this global fit, including analytic expressions for solar electron column densities and open source models for the solar wind that port into existing PTA software. We perform an ab initio recovery of various solar wind model parameters. We then demonstrate the richness of information about the solar electron density, n ( E ), that can be gleaned from PTA data, including higher order corrections to the simple 1/r (2) model associated with a free-streaming wind (which are informative probes of coronal acceleration physics), quarterly binned measurements of n ( E ) and a continuous time-varying model for n ( E ) spanning approximately one solar cycle period. Finally, we discuss the importance of our model for chromatic noise mitigation in gravitational-wave analyses of pulsar timing data and the potential of developing synergies between sophisticated PTA solar electron density models and those developed by the solar physics community.

Automated summary

Using Bayesian analyses, this study investigates the solar electron density with the NANOGrav 11 yr pulsar timing array (PTA) data set. The research demonstrates the richness of information about the solar electron density that can be obtained from PTA data, including higher order corrections to the simple 1/r(2) model, quarterly binned measurements, and a continuous time-varying model for approximately one solar cycle period. The importance of this model for mitigating chromatic noise in gravitational-wave analyses and the potential for synergies with solar physics community models are also discussed.