Constraining the properties of the proposed supermassive black hole system in 3c66b: Limits from pulsar timing

Data from long term timing observations of the radio pulsar PSR B1855+09 have been searched for the signature of gravitational waves (G-waves) emitted by the proposed supermassive binary black hole system in 3C66B. For the case of a circular orbit, the emitted G-waves would generate detectable fluctuations in the pulse arrival times of PSR B1855+09. General expressions for the expected timing residuals induced by G-wave emission from a slowly evolving, eccentric, binary black hole system are derived here for the first time. These waveforms are used in a Monte-Carlo analysis in order to place limits on the mass and eccentricity of the proposed black hole system. The reported analysis also demonstrates several interesting features of a gravitational wave detector based on pulsar timing. Subject headings: pulsar:general pulsar:individual (B1855+09) gravitational waves black hole physics