International Pulsar Timing Array

The International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA) is a consortium of pulsar timing array (PTA) efforts, which aim to detect gravitational waves (GWs) using pulsar-timing observations. The gist of the IPTA effort is the collection and analysis of select pulsar data (based upon precision and accuracy) from that gathered by the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array (PPTA), the European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA), and NANOGrav efforts. As data becomes available, the IPTA effort also uses data from newer PTA efforts: Indian Pulsar Timing Array (InPTA), Chinese Pulsar Timing Array (CPTA), and MeerKAT Pulsar Timing Array (MPTA).

PTAs as gravitational-wave detectors are sensitive to a different range of frequencies than LIGO's and Virgo's 10-10000 Hz regime: the range for PTAs is microhertz and slower (e.g., nanohertz gravitational waves), the presumed detectable sources being binary SMBHs with orbits in this frequency range.

The term IPTA+ has been used for pulsar data combining that of the IPTA plus that of a few additional promising pulsars.