Harmonic space analysis of pulsar timing array redshift maps

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a new framework for treating the angular information in the pulsar timing array response to a gravitational wave background based on standard cosmic microwave background techniques. We calculate the angular power spectrum of the all-sky gravitational redshift pattern induced at the earth for both a single bright source of gravitational radiation and a statistically isotropic, unpolarized Gaussian random gravitational wave background. The angular power spectrum is the harmonic transform of the Hellings & Downs curve. We use the power spectrum to examine the expected variance in the Hellings & Downs curve in both cases. Finally, we discuss the extent to which pulsar timing arrays are sensitive to the angular power spectrum and find that the power spectrum sensitivity is dominated by the quadrupole anisotropy of the gravitational redshift map.