European Pulsar Timing Array Limits On An Isotropic Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background

We present new limits on an isotropic stochastic gravitational-wave background (GWB) using a six pulsar dataset spanning 18 yr of observations from the 2015 European Pulsar Timing Array data release. Performing a Bayesian analysis, we fit simultaneously for the intrinsic noise parameters for each pulsar, along with common correlated signals including clock, and Solar System ephemeris errors, obtaining a robust 95$\mathrm{\%}$ upper limit on the dimensionless strain amplitude $A$ of the background of $A<3.0\times {10}^{-15}$ at a reference frequency of $1\mathrm{y}{\mathrm{r}}^{-1}$ and a spectral index of $13\mathrm{/}3$, corresponding to a background from inspiralling super-massive black hole binaries, constraining the GW energy density to $\Omega_$\mathrm{g}\mathrm{w}$(f)h^2 < 1.1\times10^{-9}$ at 2.8 nHz. We also present limits on the correlated power spectrum at a series of discrete frequencies, and show that our sensitivity to a fiducial isotropic GWB is highest at a frequency of $\sim 5\times {10}^{-9}$~Hz. Finally we discuss the implications of our analysis for the astrophysics of supermassive black hole binaries, and present 95$\mathrm{\%}$ upper limits on the string tension, $G\mu \mathrm{/}{c}^2$, characterising a background produced by a cosmic string network for a set of possible scenarios, and for a stochastic relic GWB. For a Nambu-Goto field theory cosmic string network, we set a limit $G\mu \mathrm{/}{c}^2<1.3\times {10}^{-7}$, identical to that set by the {\it Planck} Collaboration, when combining {\it Planck} and high-$\mathrm{\ell }$ Cosmic Microwave Background data from other experiments. For a stochastic relic background we set a limit of ${\mathrm{\Omega }}_{\mathrm{g}\mathrm{w}}^{\mathrm{r}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{l}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{c}}(f)h^2<1.2\times {10}^{-9}$, a factor of 9 improvement over the most stringent limits previously set by a pulsar timing array.