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Abstract: Relativistic binary pulsar systems, such as
double neutron star and neutron star-white dwarf binaries are
currently some of the best tools available to test Einstein's theory
of general relativity and the alternative theories of gravity in the
strong gravitational field regime. A radio pulsar with a black hole
companion would be a model system for such tests because of the
immense orbital velocities and gravitational potentials
present. However, finding such systems is difficult because of their
apparent spin period changes due to the Doppler effect. Acceleration
searches are commonly used to take this into account but still have
limited sensitivity in the case of short orbital period binaries. In
this talk, I will describe a new search technique using the stochastic
template-bank algorithm that can search coherently for circular binary
orbits of any orbital period, thereby increasing our sensitivity to
the potential pulsar-black hole binaries in our galaxy. I will also
present some early results using this technique on the most sensitive
blind pulsar survey to date, High Time Resolution Universe Low
Latitude (HTRU-S Lowlat) survey which was observed using the Parkes
Radio Telescope.
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