The First Upper Bound on the Nano-Hertz Gravitational Waves and Galaxy Cross-Correlation signal using 15-year NANOGrav Data and DESI Galaxy Survey
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arXiv
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| author | Sah, Mohit Raj Mukherjee, Suvodip |
| author_facet | Sah, Mohit Raj Mukherjee, Suvodip |
| contents | The recent detection of a common-spectrum stochastic signal by multiple pulsar timing array (PTA) collaborations has provided tentative evidence for a nanohertz (nHz) stochastic gravitational-wave background (SGWB). This signal can be widely interpreted as originating from a cosmic population of inspiraling supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs). Current PTA analyses primarily constrain the SGWB power spectrum and its auto-angular power spectrum. However, the supermassive black holes will produce an underlying correlation with the large-scale structure of the Universe, which can help in understanding the formation and evolution of the binaries. In this work, we develop a new analysis pipeline PyGxGW-PTA for studying the cross-correlation of nHz GW signal with galaxy surveys ($C^{\rm g\, GW}_\ell$) and obtain the first constraint on the SGWB and galaxy distribution cross-correlation using the NANOGrav 15-year dataset in combination with the DESI galaxy catalog. We find no statistically significant correlation between the SGWB and the large-scale distribution of DESI galaxies and using an optimal estimator we put an upper bound on $C^{\rm g\, GW}_{\ell=8} < 0.0083$ at $95\%$ C.I. This yields the first observational upper limit on the spatial correlation between the nHz SGWB and the large-scale structure of the Universe, establishing the observational groundwork for future multi-tracer analyses that will combine PTA data with next-generation galaxy surveys to unveil the SMBHB-galaxy correlation. |
| format | Preprint |
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arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_14863 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | The First Upper Bound on the Nano-Hertz Gravitational Waves and Galaxy Cross-Correlation signal using 15-year NANOGrav Data and DESI Galaxy Survey Sah, Mohit Raj Mukherjee, Suvodip Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics Astrophysics of Galaxies General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology The recent detection of a common-spectrum stochastic signal by multiple pulsar timing array (PTA) collaborations has provided tentative evidence for a nanohertz (nHz) stochastic gravitational-wave background (SGWB). This signal can be widely interpreted as originating from a cosmic population of inspiraling supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs). Current PTA analyses primarily constrain the SGWB power spectrum and its auto-angular power spectrum. However, the supermassive black holes will produce an underlying correlation with the large-scale structure of the Universe, which can help in understanding the formation and evolution of the binaries. In this work, we develop a new analysis pipeline PyGxGW-PTA for studying the cross-correlation of nHz GW signal with galaxy surveys ($C^{\rm g\, GW}_\ell$) and obtain the first constraint on the SGWB and galaxy distribution cross-correlation using the NANOGrav 15-year dataset in combination with the DESI galaxy catalog. We find no statistically significant correlation between the SGWB and the large-scale distribution of DESI galaxies and using an optimal estimator we put an upper bound on $C^{\rm g\, GW}_{\ell=8} < 0.0083$ at $95\%$ C.I. This yields the first observational upper limit on the spatial correlation between the nHz SGWB and the large-scale structure of the Universe, establishing the observational groundwork for future multi-tracer analyses that will combine PTA data with next-generation galaxy surveys to unveil the SMBHB-galaxy correlation. |
| title | The First Upper Bound on the Nano-Hertz Gravitational Waves and Galaxy Cross-Correlation signal using 15-year NANOGrav Data and DESI Galaxy Survey |
| topic | Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics Astrophysics of Galaxies General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.14863 |