Abstract

Invited Talk - Splinter SKA

Tuesday, 08 September 2026, 15:18   (MW-1050)

The science potential of the SKAO PTA for the detection of nHz GWs

The SKAO Pulsar Science Working Group
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie

The primary goal of PTAs is to search for and study gravitational-waves at nanohertz frequencies. Recently, compelling evidence has emerged in established PTA experiments for the presence of a gravitational-wave background. In order to establish confident detection of such a signal and then study the gravitational-wave emitting sources, it is necessary to observe a larger number of millisecond pulsars to greater timing precision. The SKAO telescopes, which will be a factor of three to four greater in sensitivity compared to any other southern hemisphere facility, are destined to impact PTA science. In this talk, I will motivate an SKAO pulsar timing array (SKAO PTA) experiment by presenting its multi-faceted science potential. I will describe such an experiment can be realistically implemented and discuss its place in the context of other PTA experiments likely ongoing in the 2030s, as well as in the context of larger facilities such as LISA, ngVLA and the DSA, which will provide a complementary view of the Universe.