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1. The Proper Motion of the High Galactic Latitude Pulsar Calvera

Author: M. Rigoselli, S. Mereghetti, J. P. Halpern, E. V. Gotthelf, and C. G. Bassa
Subjects: Pulsars, Neutron stars, Proper motions, Astrophysics, QB460-466
Abstract: Calvera (1RXS J141256.0+792204) is a pulsar of characteristic age 285 kyr at a high Galactic latitude of b = +37°, detected only in soft thermal X-rays. We measure a new and precise proper motion for Calvera using Chandra High Resolution Camera observations obtained 10 yr apart. We also derive a new phase-connected ephemeris using 6 yr of NICER data, including the astrometric position and proper motion as fixed parameters in the timing solution. Calvera is located near the center of a faint, circular radio ring that was recently discovered by LOFAR and confirmed as a supernova remnant (SNR) by the detection of γ -ray emission with Fermi Large Area Telescope. The proper motion of 78.5 ± 2.9 mas yr ^−1 at position angle 241.°3 ± 2.°2 (in Galactic coordinates) points away from the center of the ring, a result which differs markedly from a previous low-significance measurement, and greatly simplifies the interpretation of the SNR/pulsar association. It argues that the supernova indeed birthed Calvera
Published: 2024
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2. Comparing Recent Pulsar Timing Array Results on the Nanohertz Stochastic Gravitational-wave Background

Author: G. Agazie, J. Antoniadis, A. Anumarlapudi, A. M. Archibald, P. Arumugam, S. Arumugam, Z. Arzoumanian, J. Askew, S. Babak, M. Bagchi, M. Bailes, A.-S. Bak Nielsen, P. T. Baker, C. G. Bassa, A. Bathula, B. Bécsy, A. Berthereau, N. D. R. Bhat, L. Blecha, M. Bonetti, E. Bortolas, A. Brazier, P. R. Brook, M. Burgay, S. Burke-Spolaor, R. Burnette, R. N. Caballero, A. Cameron, R. Case, A. Chalumeau, D. J. Champion, S. Chanlaridis, M. Charisi, S. Chatterjee, K. Chatziioannou, B. D. Cheeseboro, S. Chen, Z.-C. Chen, I. Cognard, T. Cohen, W. A. Coles, J. M. Cordes, N. J. Cornish, F. Crawford, H. T. Cromartie, K. Crowter, M. Curyło, C. J. Cutler, S. Dai, S. Dandapat, D. Deb, M. E. DeCesar, D. DeGan, P. B. Demorest, H. Deng, S. Desai, G. Desvignes, L. Dey, N. Dhanda-Batra, V. Di Marco, T. Dolch, B. Drachler, C. Dwivedi, J. A. Ellis, M. Falxa, Y. Feng, R. D. Ferdman, E. C. Ferrara, W. Fiore, E. Fonseca, A. Franchini, G. E. Freedman, J. R. Gair, N. Garver-Daniels, P. A. Gentile, K. A. Gersbach, J. Glaser, D. C. Good, B. Goncharov, A. Gopakumar, E. Graikou, J.-M. Griessmeier, L. Guillemot, K. Gültekin, Y. J. Guo, Y. Gupta, K. Grunthal, J. S. Hazboun, S. Hisano, G. B. Hobbs, S. Hourihane, H. Hu, F. Iraci, K. Islo, D. Izquierdo-Villalba, J. Jang, J. Jawor, G. H. Janssen, R. J. Jennings, A. Jessner, A. D. Johnson, M. L. Jones, B. C. Joshi, A. R. Kaiser, D. L. Kaplan, A. Kapur, F. Kareem, R. Karuppusamy, E. F. Keane, M. J. Keith, L. Z. Kelley, M. Kerr, J. S. Key, D. Kharbanda, T. Kikunaga, T. C. Klein, N. Kolhe, M. Kramer, M. A. Krishnakumar, A. Kulkarni, N. Laal, K. Lackeos, M. T. Lam, W. G. Lamb, B. B. Larsen, T. J. W. Lazio, K. J. Lee, Y. Levin, N. Lewandowska, T. B. Littenberg, K. Liu, T. Liu, Y. Liu, A. Lommen, D. R. Lorimer, M. E. Lower, J. Luo, R. Luo, R. S. Lynch, A. G. Lyne, C.-P. Ma, Y. Maan, D. R. Madison, R. A. Main, R. N. Manchester, R. Mandow, M. A. Mattson, A. McEwen, J. W. McKee, M. A. McLaughlin, N. McMann, B. W. Meyers, P. M. Meyers, M. B. Mickaliger, M. Miles, C. M. F. Mingarelli, A. Mitridate, P. Natarajan, R. S. Nathan, C. Ng, D. J. Nice, I. C. Niţu, K. Nobleson, S. K. Ocker, K. D. Olum, S. Osłowski, A. K. Paladi, A. Parthasarathy, T. T. Pennucci, B. B. P. Perera, D. Perrodin, A. Petiteau, P. Petrov, N. S. Pol, N. K. Porayko, A. Possenti, T. Prabu, H. Quelquejay Leclere, H. A. Radovan, P. Rana, S. M. Ransom, P. S. Ray, D. J. Reardon, A. F. Rogers, J. D. Romano, C. J. Russell, A. Samajdar, S. A. Sanidas, S. C. Sardesai, A. Schmiedekamp, C. Schmiedekamp, K. Schmitz, L. Schult, A. Sesana, G. Shaifullah, R. M. Shannon, B. J. Shapiro-Albert, X. Siemens, J. Simon, J. Singha, M. S. Siwek, L. Speri, R. Spiewak, A. Srivastava, I. H. Stairs, B. W. Stappers, D. R. Stinebring, K. Stovall, J. P. Sun, M. Surnis, S. C. Susarla, A. Susobhanan, J. K. Swiggum, K. Takahashi, P. Tarafdar, J. Taylor, S. R. Taylor, G. Theureau, E. Thrane, N. Thyagarajan, C. Tiburzi, L. Toomey, J. E. Turner, C. Unal, M. Vallisneri, E. van der Wateren, R. van Haasteren, A. Vecchio, V. Venkatraman Krishnan, J. P. W. Verbiest, S. J. Vigeland, H. M. Wahl, S. Wang, Q. Wang, C. A. Witt, J. Wang, L. Wang, K. E. Wayt, Z. Wu, O. Young, L. Zhang, S. Zhang, X.-J. Zhu, A. Zic, and The International Pulsar Timing Array Collaboration
Subjects: Gravitational waves, Pulsars, Astrophysics, QB460-466
Abstract: The Australian, Chinese, European, Indian, and North American pulsar timing array (PTA) collaborations recently reported, at varying levels, evidence for the presence of a nanohertz gravitational-wave background (GWB). Given that each PTA made different choices in modeling their data, we perform a comparison of the GWB and individual pulsar noise parameters across the results reported from the PTAs that constitute the International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA). We show that despite making different modeling choices, there is no significant difference in the GWB parameters that are measured by the different PTAs, agreeing within 1 σ . The pulsar noise parameters are also consistent between different PTAs for the majority of the pulsars included in these analyses. We bridge the differences in modeling choices by adopting a standardized noise model for all pulsars and PTAs, finding that under this model there is a reduction in the tension in the pulsar noise parameters. As part of this reanalysis, we “extended” each PTA’s data set by adding extra pulsars that were not timed by that PTA. Under these extensions, we find better constraints on the GWB amplitude and a higher signal-to-noise ratio for the Hellings–Downs correlations. These extensions serve as a prelude to the benefits offered by a full combination of data across all pulsars in the IPTA, i.e., the IPTA’s Data Release 3, which will involve not just adding in additional pulsars but also including data from all three PTAs where any given pulsar is timed by more than a single PTA.
Published: 2024
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3. Tests of gravitational symmetries with pulsar binary J1713+0747

Author: W W Zhu, G Desvignes, N Wex, R N Caballero, D J Champion, P B Demorest, J A Ellis, G H Janssen, M Kramer, A Krieger, L Lentati, D J Nice, S M Ransom, I H Stairs, B W Stappers, J P W Verbiest, Z Arzoumanian, C G Bassa, M Burgay, I Cognard, K Crowter, T Dolch, R D Ferdman, E Fonseca, M E Gonzalez, E Graikou, L Guillemot, J W T Hessels, A Jessner, G Jones, M L Jones, C Jordan, R Karuppusamy, M T Lam, K Lazaridis, P Lazarus, K J Lee, L Levin, K Liu, A G Lyne, J W McKee, M A McLaughlin, S Osłowski, T Pennucci, D Perrodin, A Possenti, S Sanidas, G Shaifullah, R Smits, K Stovall, J Swiggum, G Theureau, and C Tiburzi
Published: 2018
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4. Studying the Solar system with the International Pulsar Timing Array

Author: R N Caballero, Y J Guo, K J Lee, P Lazarus, D J Champion, G Desvignes, M Kramer, K Plant, Z Arzoumanian, M Bailes, C G Bassa, N D R Bhat, A Brazier, M Burgay, S Burke-Spolaor, S J Chamberlin, S Chatterjee, I Cognard, J M Cordes, S Dai, P Demorest, T Dolch, R D Ferdman, E Fonseca, J R Gair, N Garver-Daniels, P Gentile, M E Gonzalez, E Graikou, L Guillemot, G Hobbs, G H Janssen, R Karuppusamy, M J Keith, M Kerr, M T Lam, P D Lasky, T J W Lazio, L Levin, K Liu, A N Lommen, D R Lorimer, R S Lynch, D R Madison, R N Manchester, J W McKee, M A McLaughlin, S T McWilliams, C M F Mingarelli, D J Nice, S Osłowski, N T Palliyaguru, T T Pennucci, B B P Perera, D Perrodin, A Possenti, S M Ransom, D J Reardon, S A Sanidas, A Sesana, G Shaifullah, R M Shannon, X Siemens, J Simon, R Spiewak, I Stairs, B Stappers, D R Stinebring, K Stovall, J K Swiggum, S R Taylor, G Theureau, C Tiburzi, L Toomey, R van Haasteren, W van Straten, J P W Verbiest, J B Wang, X J Zhu, and W W Zhu
Published: 2018
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5. A Pulsar-Based Time-Scale from the International Pulsar Timing Array

Author: G. Hobbs, L. Guo, R. N. Caballero, W. Coles, K. J. Lee, R. N. Manchester, D. J. Reardon, D. Matsakis, M. L. Tong, Z Arzoumanian, M Bailes, C. G. Bassa, N. D. R. Bhat, A. Brazier, S. Burke-Spolaor, D. J. Champion, S. Chatterjee, I. Cognard, S. Dai, G. Desvignes, T Dolch, R. D. Ferdman, E. Graikou, L Guillemot, G H Janssen, M. J. Keith, M Kerr, M Kramer, M T Lam, K Liu, A Lyne, T J W Lazio, R Lynch, J W McKee, M A McLaughlin, C M F Mingarelli, D J Nice, S Oslowski, T T Pennucci, B B P Perera, D Perrodin, A Possenti, C J Russell, S Sanidas, A Sesana, G Shaifullah, R M Shannon, J Simon, R Spiewak, I H Stairs, B W Stappers, J K Swiggum, S R Taylor, G Theureau, L Toomey, R van Haasteren, J B Wang, Y Wang, and X J Zhu
Subjects: Astronomy
Abstract: We have constructed a new time-scale, TT(IPTA16), based on observations of radio pulsars presented in the first data release from the International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA). We used two analysis techniques with independent estimates of the noise models for the pulsar observations and different algorithms for obtaining the pulsar time-scale. The two analyses agree within the estimated uncertainties and both agree with TT(BIPM17), a post-corrected time-scale produced by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM). We show that both methods could detect significant errors in TT(BIPM17) if they were present. We estimate the stability of the atomic clocks from which TT(BIPM17) is derived using observations of four rubidium fountain clocks at the US Naval Observatory. Comparing the power spectrum of TT(IPTA16) with that of these fountain clocks suggests that pulsar-based time-scales are unlikely to contribute to the stability of the best time-scales over the next decade, but they will remain a valuable independent check on atomic time-scales. We also find that the stability of the pulsar-based time-scale is likely to be limited by our knowledge of solar-system dynamics, and that errors in TT(BIPM17) will not be a limiting factor for the primary goal of the IPTA, which is to search for the signatures of nano-Hertz gravitational waves.
Published: 2019
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6. The International Pulsar Timing Array: Second Data Release

Author: B B P Perara, M E DeCesar, P B Demorest, M Kerr, L Lentati, D J Nice, S Oslowski, S M Ransom, M J Keith, Z Arzoumanian, M Bailes, P T Baker, C G Bassa, NDR Bhat, A Brazier, M Burgay, S Burke-Spolaor, R N Caballero, D J Champion, S Chatterjee, S Chen, I Cognard, J M Cordes, K Crowter, S Dai, G Desvignes, T Dolch, R D Ferdman, E C Ferrara, E Fonseca, J M Goldstein, E Graikou, L Guillemot, J S Hazboun, G Hobbs, H Hu, K Islo, G H Janssen, R Karuppusam, M Kramer, M T Lam, K J Lee, K Liu, J Luo, A G Lyne, R N Manchester, J W McKee, M A McLaughlin, C M F Mingarelli, A P Parthasarathy, T T Pennucci, D Perrodin, A Possenti, D J Reardon, C J Russell, S A Sanidas, A Sesana, G Shaifullah, R M Shannon, X Siemens, J Simon, R Spiewak, I H Stairs, B W Stappers, J K Swiggum, S R Taylor, G Theureau, C Tiburzi, M Vallisneri, A Vecchio, J B Wang, S B Zhang, L Zhang, W W Zhu, and X J Zhu
Subjects: Astronomy
Abstract: In this paper, we describe the International Pulsar Timing Array second data release, which includes recent pulsar timing data obtained by three regional consortia: the European Pulsar Timing Array, the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves, and the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array. We analyse and where possible combine high-precision timing data for 65 millisecond pulsars which are regularly observed by these groups. A basic noise analysis, including the processes which are both correlated and uncorrelated in time, provides noise models and timing ephemerides for the pulsars. We find that the timing precisions of pulsars are generally improved compared to the previous data release, mainly due to the addition of new data in the combination. The main purpose of this work is to create the most up-to-date IPTA data release. These data are publicly available for searches for low-frequency gravitational waves and other pulsar science.
Published: 2019
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7. Detection of quasi-periodic micro-structure in three millisecond pulsars with the Large European Array for Pulsars

Author: K Liu, J Antoniadis, C G Bassa, S Chen, I Cognard, M Gaikwad, H Hu, J Jang, G H Janssen, R Karuppusamy, M Kramer, K J Lee, R A Main, G Mall, J W McKee, M B Mickaliger, D Perrodin, S A Sanidas, B W Stappers, L Wang, W W Zhu, M Burgay, R Concu, A Corongiu, A Melis, M Pilia, and A Possenti
Subjects: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Space and Planetary Science, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA), FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies, Mathematics
Abstract: We report on the detection of quasi-periodic micro-structure in three millisecond pulsars (MSPs), PSRs J1022+1001, J2145-0750 and J1744-1134, using high time resolution data acquired with the Large European Array for Pulsars at a radio frequency of 1.4 GHz. The occurrence rate of quasi-periodic micro-structure is consistent among pulses with different peak flux densities. Using an auto-correlation analysis, we measure the periodicity and width of the micro-structure in these three pulsars. The detected micro-structure from PSRs J1022+1001 and J1744-1134 is often highly linearly polarised. In PSR J1022+1001, the linear polarisation position angles of micro-structure pulses are in general flat with a small degree of variation. Using these results, we further examine the frequency and rotational period dependency of micro-structure properties established in previous work, along with the angular beaming and temporal modulation models that explains the appearance of micro-structure. We also discuss a possible link of micro-structure to the properties of some of the recently discovered fast radio bursts which exhibit a very similar emission morphology., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, published in MNRAS
Published: 2022

8. An interference detection strategy for Apertif based on AOFlagger 3

Author: A. R. Offringa, B. Adebahr, A. Kutkin, E. A. K. Adams, T. A. Oosterloo, J. M. van der Hulst, H. Dénes, C. G. Bassa, D. L. Lucero, W. J. G. Blok, K. M. Hess, J. van Leeuwen, G. M. Loose, Y. Maan, L. C. Oostrum, E. Orrú, D. Vohl, J. Ziemke, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), European Commission, European Research Council, and German Research Foundation
Subjects: instrumentation, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Surveys, radio continuum, methods, Radio continuum: general, interferometers, surveys, Methods: observational, general, Space and Planetary Science, Instrumentation: interferometers, interferometric, Techniques: interferometric, observational, techniques, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM)
Abstract: This is an Open Access article, published by EDP Sciences, under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited., Context. Apertif is a multi-beam receiver system for the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope that operates at 1.1–1.5 GHz, which overlaps with various radio services, resulting in contamination of astronomical signals with radio-frequency interference (RFI). Aims. We analyse approaches to mitigate Apertif interference and design an automated detection procedure for its imaging mode. Using this approach, we present long-term RFI detection results of over 300 Apertif observations. Methods. Our approach is based on the AOFlagger detection approach. We introduce several new features, including ways to deal with ranges of invalid data (e.g. caused by shadowing) in both the SumThreshold and scale-invariant rank operator steps; pre-calibration bandpass calibration; auto-correlation flagging; and HI flagging avoidance. These methods have been implemented in a new framework that uses the Lua language for scripting, which is new in AOFlagger version 3. Results. Our approach removes RFI fully automatically, and it is robust and effective enough for further calibration and (continuum) imaging of these data. The analysis of 304 observations shows an average of 11.1% of lost data due to RFI with a large spread. We observe 14.6% RFI in auto-correlations. Computationally, AOFlagger achieves a throughput of 370 MB/s on a single computing node. Compared to published machine learning results, the method is one to two orders of magnitude faster. © The Authors 2023., This work makes use of data from the Apertif system installed at the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope owned by ASTRON. ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, is an institute of the Dutch Research Council (de Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, NWO). B.A. acknowledges funding from the German Science Foundation DFG, within the Collaborative Research Center SFB1491 “Cosmic Interacting Matters – From Source to Signal”. E.A.K.A. is supported by the WISE research programme, which is financed by NWO. J.M.vd.H. and K.M.H., acknowledge funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013)/ERC Grant Agreement No. 291531 (‘HIStoryNU’). Jv.L., Y.M. and L.C.O. acknowledge funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013)/ERC Grant Agreement No. 617199 (‘ALERT’; PI: JvL). K.M.H. further acknowledges financial support from the State Agency for Research of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through the “Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa” awarded to the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (SEV-2017-0709) from the coordination of the participation in SKA-SPAIN, funded by the Ministry of Science and innovation (MICIN) and grant RTI2018-096228-B-C31 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER,UE). Jv.L. further acknowledges funding from Vici research programme ‘ARGO’ with project number 639.043.815, financed by NWO. D.V. acknowledges support from the Netherlands eScience Center (NLeSC) under grant ASDI.15.406., With funding from the Spanish government through the "Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence" accreditation (CEX2021-001131-S).
Published: 2023
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9. Searching for pulsars associated with polarised point sources using LOFAR: Initial discoveries from the TULIPP project

Author: C. Sobey, C. G. Bassa, S. P. O’Sullivan, J. R. Callingham, C. M. Tan, J. W. T. Hessels, V. I. Kondratiev, B. W. Stappers, C. Tiburzi, G. Heald, T. Shimwell, R. P. Breton, M. Kirwan, H. K. Vedantham, E. Carretti, J.-M. Grießmeier, M. Haverkorn, A. Karastergiou, Astronomy, and High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI)
Subjects: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Galaxy: stellar content, Astronomy, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Surveys, Methods - data analysis, methods: data analysis, Radio continuum - stars, Pulsars - general, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science, pulsars: general, Polarization, Galaxy - stellar content, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, radio continuum: stars, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)
Abstract: Discovering radio pulsars, particularly millisecond pulsars (MSPs), is important for a range of astrophysical applications, such as testing theories of gravity or probing the magneto-ionic interstellar medium. We aim to discover pulsars that may have been missed in previous pulsar searches by leveraging known pulsar observables (primarily polarisation) in the sensitive, low-frequency radio images from the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS), and have commenced the Targeted search, using LoTSS images, for polarised pulsars (TULIPP) survey. For this survey, we identified linearly and circularly polarised point sources with flux densities brighter than 2 mJy in LoTSS images at a centre frequency of 144 MHz with a 48 MHz bandwidth. Over 40 known pulsars, half of which are MSPs, were detected as polarised sources in the LoTSS images and excluded from the survey. We have obtained beam-formed LOFAR observations of 30 candidates, which were searched for pulsations using coherent de-dispersion. Here, we present the results of the first year of the TULIPP survey. We discovered two pulsars, PSRs J1049+5822 and J1602+3901, with rotational periods of P=0.73 s and 3.7 ms, respectively. We also detected a further five known pulsars (two slowly-rotating pulsars and three MSPs) for which accurate sky positions were not available to allow a unique cross-match with LoTSS sources. This targeted survey presents a relatively efficient method by which pulsars, particularly MSPs, may be discovered using the flexible observing modes of sensitive radio telescopes such as the Square Kilometre Array and its pathfinders/precursors, particularly since wide-area all-sky surveys using coherent de-dispersion are currently computationally infeasible., 15 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in A&A
Published: 2022

10. Apertif: Phased array feeds for the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope. System overview and performance characteristics

Author: W. A. van Cappellen, T. A. Oosterloo, M. A. W. Verheijen, E. A. K. Adams, B. Adebahr, R. Braun, K. M. Hess, H. Holties, J. M. van der Hulst, B. Hut, E. Kooistra, J. van Leeuwen, G. M. Loose, R. Morganti, V. A. Moss, E. Orrú, M. Ruiter, A. P. Schoenmakers, N. J. Vermaas, S. J. Wijnholds, A. S. van Amesfoort, M. J. Arts, J. J. Attema, L. Bakker, C. G. Bassa, J. E. Bast, P. Benthem, R. Beukema, R. Blaauw, W. J. G. de Blok, M. Bouwhuis, R. H. van den Brink, L. Connor, A. H. W. M. Coolen, S. Damstra, G. N. J. van Diepen, R. de Goei, H. Dénes, M. Drost, N. Ebbendorf, B. S. Frank, D. W. Gardenier, M. Gerbers, Y. G. Grange, T. Grit, A. W. Gunst, N. Gupta, M. V. Ivashina, G. I. G. Józsa, G. H. Janssen, A. Koster, G. H. Kruithof, S. J. Kuindersma, A. Kutkin, D. M. Lucero, Y. Maan, F. M. Maccagni, J. van der Marel, A. Mika, J. Morawietz, H. Mulder, E. Mulder, M. J. Norden, A. R. Offringa, L. C. Oostrum, R. E. Overeem, Z. Paragi, H. J. Pepping, E. Petroff, D. J. Pisano, A. G. Polatidis, P. Prasad, J. P. R. de Reijer, J. W. Romein, J. Schaap, G. W. Schoonderbeek, R. Schulz, D. van der Schuur, A. Sclocco, J. J. Sluman, R. Smits, B. W. Stappers, S. M. Straal, K. J. C. Stuurwold, J. Verstappen, D. Vohl, K. J. Wierenga, E. E. M. Woestenburg, A. W. Zanting, J. Ziemke, Astronomy, and Kapteyn Astronomical Institute
Subjects: Radio telescope, Physics, Space and Planetary Science, Phased array, Instrumentation: interferometers, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astronomy, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Surveys, Telescopes
Abstract: We describe the APERture Tile In Focus (Apertif) system, a phased array feed (PAF) upgrade of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope that transforms this telescope into a high-sensitivity, wide-field-of-view L-band imaging and transient survey instrument. Using novel PAF technology, up to 40 partially overlapping beams are formed on the sky simultaneously, significantly increasing the survey speed of the telescope. With this upgraded instrument, an imaging survey covering an area of 2300 deg2 is being performed that will deliver both continuum and spectral line datasets, of which the first data have been publicly released. In addition, a time domain transient and pulsar survey covering 15 000 deg2 is in progress. An overview of the Apertif science drivers, hardware, and software of the upgraded telescope is presented, along with its key performance characteristics.
Published: 2022

11. Removal and replacement of interference in tied-array radio pulsar observations using the spectral kurtosis estimator

Author: S. Sanidas, Kejia Lee, C. G. Bassa, Ramesh Karuppusamy, Ismaël Cognard, M. B. Purver, D. Perrodin, K. Liu, Michael Kramer, Gemma H. Janssen, J. W. McKee, Benjamin Stappers, R. Smits, ITA, GBR, FRA, DEU, CAN, NLD, and CHN
Subjects: Gaussian, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Interference (wave propagation), 01 natural sciences, law.invention, Telescope, 010104 statistics & probability, symbols.namesake, Pulsar, law, 0103 physical sciences, 0101 mathematics, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Statistical hypothesis testing, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, Estimator, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Computational physics, Amplitude, Space and Planetary Science, Kurtosis, symbols, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: We describe how to implement the spectral kurtosis method of interference removal (zapping) on a digitized signal of averaged power values. Spectral kurtosis is a hypothesis test, analogous to the t-test, with a null hypothesis that the amplitudes from which power is formed belong to a `good' distribution -- typically Gaussian with zero mean -- where power values are zapped if the hypothesis is rejected at a specified confidence level. We derive signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) as a function of amount of zapping for folded radio pulsar observations consisting of a sum of signals from multiple telescopes in independent radio-frequency interference (RFI) environments, comparing four methods to compensate for lost data with coherent (tied-array) and incoherent summation. For coherently summed amplitudes, scaling amplitudes from non-zapped telescopes achieves a higher SNR than replacing zapped amplitudes with artificial noise. For incoherently summed power values, the highest SNR is given by scaling power from non-zapped telescopes to maintain a constant mean. We use spectral kurtosis to clean a tied-array radio pulsar observation by the Large European Array for Pulsars (LEAP): the signal from one telescope is zapped with time and frequency resolutions of 6.25 $\mu$s and 0.16 MHz, removing interference along with 0.27 per cent of `good' data, giving an uncertainty of 0.25 $\mu$s in pulse time of arrival (TOA) for PSR J1022+1001. We use a single-telescope observation to demonstrate recovery of the pulse profile shape, with 0.6 per cent of data zapped and a reduction from 1.22 to 0.70 $\mu$s in TOA uncertainty., Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures
Published: 2022

12. The International Pulsar Timing Array second data release: Search for an isotropic gravitational wave background

Author: J Antoniadis, Z Arzoumanian, S Babak, M Bailes, A-S Bak Nielsen, P T Baker, C G Bassa, B Bécsy, A Berthereau, M Bonetti, A Brazier, P R Brook, M Burgay, S Burke-Spolaor, R N Caballero, J A Casey-Clyde, A Chalumeau, D J Champion, M Charisi, S Chatterjee, S Chen, I Cognard, J M Cordes, N J Cornish, F Crawford, H T Cromartie, K Crowter, S Dai, M E DeCesar, P B Demorest, G Desvignes, T Dolch, B Drachler, M Falxa, E C Ferrara, W Fiore, E Fonseca, J R Gair, N Garver-Daniels, B Goncharov, D C Good, E Graikou, L Guillemot, Y J Guo, J S Hazboun, G Hobbs, H Hu, K Islo, G H Janssen, R J Jennings, A D Johnson, M L Jones, A R Kaiser, D L Kaplan, R Karuppusamy, M J Keith, L Z Kelley, M Kerr, J S Key, M Kramer, M T Lam, W G Lamb, T J W Lazio, K J Lee, L Lentati, K Liu, J Luo, R S Lynch, A G Lyne, D R Madison, R A Main, R N Manchester, A McEwen, J W McKee, M A McLaughlin, M B Mickaliger, C M F Mingarelli, C Ng, D J Nice, S Osłowski, A Parthasarathy, T T Pennucci, B B P Perera, D Perrodin, A Petiteau, N S Pol, N K Porayko, A Possenti, S M Ransom, P S Ray, D J Reardon, C J Russell, A Samajdar, L M Sampson, S Sanidas, J M Sarkissian, K Schmitz, L Schult, A Sesana, G Shaifullah, R M Shannon, B J Shapiro-Albert, X Siemens, J Simon, T L Smith, L Speri, R Spiewak, I H Stairs, B W Stappers, D R Stinebring, J K Swiggum, S R Taylor, G Theureau, C Tiburzi, M Vallisneri, E van der Wateren, A Vecchio, J P W Verbiest, S J Vigeland, H Wahl, J B Wang, J Wang, L Wang, C A Witt, S Zhang, X J Zhu, Antoniadis, J, Arzoumanian, Z, Babak, S, Bailes, M, Bak Nielsen, A, Baker, P, Bassa, C, Becsy, B, Berthereau, A, Bonetti, M, Brazier, A, Brook, P, Burgay, M, Burke-Spolaor, S, Caballero, R, Casey-Clyde, J, Chalumeau, A, Champion, D, Charisi, M, Chatterjee, S, Chen, S, Cognard, I, Cordes, J, Cornish, N, Crawford, F, Cromartie, H, Crowter, K, Dai, S, Decesar, M, Demorest, P, Desvignes, G, Dolch, T, Drachler, B, Falxa, M, Ferrara, E, Fiore, W, Fonseca, E, Gair, J, Garver-Daniels, N, Goncharov, B, Good, D, Graikou, E, Guillemot, L, Guo, Y, Hazboun, J, Hobbs, G, Hu, H, Islo, K, Janssen, G, Jennings, R, Johnson, A, Jones, M, Kaiser, A, Kaplan, D, Karuppusamy, R, Keith, M, Kelley, L, Kerr, M, Key, J, Kramer, M, Lam, M, Lamb, W, Lazio, T, Lee, K, Lentati, L, Liu, K, Luo, J, Lynch, R, Lyne, A, Madison, D, Main, R, Manchester, R, Mcewen, A, Mckee, J, Mclaughlin, M, Mickaliger, M, Mingarelli, C, Ng, C, Nice, D, Oslowski, S, Parthasarathy, A, Pennucci, T, Perera, B, Perrodin, D, Petiteau, A, Pol, N, Porayko, N, Possenti, A, Ransom, S, Ray, P, Reardon, D, Russell, C, Samajdar, A, Sampson, L, Sanidas, S, Sarkissian, J, Schmitz, K, Schult, L, Sesana, A, Shaifullah, G, Shannon, R, Shapiro-Albert, B, Siemens, X, Simon, J, Smith, T, Speri, L, Spiewak, R, Stairs, I, Stappers, B, Stinebring, D, Swiggum, J, Taylor, S, Theureau, G, Tiburzi, C, Vallisneri, M, Van Der Wateren, E, Vecchio, A, Verbiest, J, Vigeland, S, Wahl, H, Wang, J, Wang, L, Witt, C, Zhang, S, Zhu, X, AstroParticule et Cosmologie (APC (UMR_7164)), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique = Laboratory of Space Studies and Instrumentation in Astrophysics (LESIA), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité), Laboratoire Univers et Théories (LUTH (UMR_8102)), ANR-18-CE31-0015,PTA-France,Recherche d'ondes gravitationnelles avec un réseau de pulsars en France(2018), ITA, USA, GBR, FRA, DEU, AUS, CAN, GRC, NLD, CHN, RUS, CHE, and HUN
Subjects: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), astro-ph.HE, [PHYS]Physics [physics], Astrophysics and Astronomy, Astronomy, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, methods: Data analysi, pulsars: General, methods: data analysis, gravitational waves, Space and Planetary Science, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), gravitational wave, astro-ph.IM
Abstract: We searched for an isotropic stochastic gravitational wave background in the second data release of the International Pulsar Timing Array, a global collaboration synthesizing decadal-length pulsar-timing campaigns in North America, Europe, and Australia. In our reference search for a power law strain spectrum of the form $h_c = A(f/1\,\mathrm{yr}^{-1})^{\alpha}$, we found strong evidence for a spectrally-similar low-frequency stochastic process of amplitude $A = 3.8^{+6.3}_{-2.5}\times10^{-15}$ and spectral index $\alpha = -0.5 \pm 0.5$, where the uncertainties represent 95\% credible regions, using information from the auto- and cross-correlation terms between the pulsars in the array. For a spectral index of $\alpha = -2/3$, as expected from a population of inspiralling supermassive black hole binaries, the recovered amplitude is $A = 2.8^{+1.2}_{-0.8}\times10^{-15}$. Nonetheless, no significant evidence of the Hellings-Downs correlations that would indicate a gravitational-wave origin was found. We also analyzed the constituent data from the individual pulsar timing arrays in a consistent way, and clearly demonstrate that the combined international data set is more sensitive. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this combined data set produces comparable constraints to recent single-array data sets which have more data than the constituent parts of the combination. Future international data releases will deliver increased sensitivity to gravitational wave radiation, and significantly increase the detection probability., 17 pages, 12 figures, accepted in MNRAS
Published: 2022
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13. The Scintillating Tail of Comet C/2020 F3 (Neowise)

Author: R. A. Fallows, B. Forte, M. Mevius, M. A. Brentjens, C. G. Bassa, M. M. Bisi, A. Offringa, G. Shaifullah, C. Tiburzi, H. Vedantham, P. Zucca, Fallows, R, Forte, B, Mevius, M, Brentjens, M, Bassa, C, Bisi, M, Offringa, A, Shaifullah, G, Tiburzi, C, Vedantham, H, and Zucca, P
Subjects: Scattering, Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP), Comets: individual: C/2020 F3, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science, Solar wind, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR), Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Abstract: Context. The occultation of a radio source by the plasma tail of a comet can be used to probe structure and dynamics in the tail. Such occultations are rare, and the occurrence of scintillation, due to small-scale density variations in the tail, remains somewhat controversial. Aims. A detailed observation taken with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) of a serendipitous occultation of the compact radio source 3C196 by the plasma tail of comet C/2020 F3 (Neowise) is presented. 3C196 tracked almost perpendicularly behind the tail, providing a unique profile cut only a short distance downstream from the cometary nucleus itself. Methods. Interplanetary scintillation (IPS) is observed as the rapid variation of the intensity received of a compact radio source due to density variations in the solar wind. IPS in the signal received from 3C196 was observed for five hours, covering the full transit behind the plasma tail of comet C/2020 F3 (Neowise) on 16 July 2020, and allowing an assessment of the solar wind in which the comet and its tail are embedded. Results. The results reveal a sudden and strong enhancement in scintillation which is unequivocally attributable to the plasma tail. The strongest scintillation is associated with the tail boundaries, weaker scintillation is seen within the tail, and previously-unreported periodic variations in scintillation are noted, possibly associated with individual filaments of plasma. Furthermore, contributions from the solar wind and comet tail are separated to measure a sharp decrease in the velocity of material within the tail, suggesting a steep velocity shear resulting in strong turbulence along the tail boundary, Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 8 pages, 9 figures
Published: 2022
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14. Modelling annual scintillation arc variations in PSR J1643-1224 using the Large European Array for Pulsars

Author: G Mall, R A Main, J Antoniadis, C G Bassa, M Burgay, S Chen, I Cognard, R Concu, A Corongiu, M Gaikwad, H Hu, G H Janssen, R Karuppusamy, M Kramer, K J Lee, K Liu, J W McKee, A Melis, M B Mickaliger, D Perrodin, M Pilia, A Possenti, D J Reardon, S A Sanidas, T Sprenger, B W Stappers, L Wang, O Wucknitz, W W Zhu, ITA, GBR, FRA, DEU, AUS, CAN, GRC, NLD, and CHN
Subjects: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), High Energy Physics - Phenomenology, High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph), Space and Planetary Science, Astronomy, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: In this work we study variations in the parabolic scintillation arcs of the binary millisecond pulsar PSR J1643-1224 over five years using the Large European Array for Pulsars (LEAP). The 2D power spectrum of scintillation, called the secondary spectrum, often shows a parabolic distribution of power, where the arc curvature encodes the relative velocities and distances of the pulsar, ionised interstellar medium (IISM), and Earth. We observe a clear parabolic scintillation arc which varies in curvature throughout the year. The distribution of power in the secondary spectra are inconsistent with a single scattering screen which is fully 1D, or entirely isotropic. We fit the observed arc curvature variations with two models; an isotropic scattering screen, and a model with two independent 1D screens. We measure the distance to the scattering screen to be in the range 114-223 pc, depending on the model, consistent with the known distance of the foreground large-diameter HII region Sh 2-27 (112+/-17 pc), suggesting that it is the dominant source of scattering. We obtain only weak constraints on the pulsar's orbital inclination and angle of periastron, since the scintillation pattern is not very sensitive to the pulsar's motion, since the screen is much closer to the Earth than the pulsar. More measurements of this kind - where scattering screens can be associated with foreground objects - will help to inform the origins and distribution of scattering screens within our galaxy., 11 pages, 6 figures. Accepted by MNRAS
Published: 2022

15. Irradiated but not eclipsed, the case of PSR J0610−2100

Author: E. van der Wateren, C. G. Bassa, C. J. Clark, R. P. Breton, I. Cognard, L. Guillemot, G. H. Janssen, A. G. Lyne, B. W. Stappers, and G. Theureau
Subjects: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Space and Planetary Science, Astronomy, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: We report on radio timing observations of the black widow binary pulsar J0610$-$2100 and optical observations of its binary companion. The radio timing observations extend the timing baseline to 16yr and reveal a marginal detection of the orbital period derivative, but they show no significant evidence of orbital variations such as those seen in other black widow pulsars. Furthermore, no eclipses are seen in the observations at observing frequencies ranging from 310 to 2700MHz. The optical VRI light curves were modulated with the orbital period, reaching maximum brightness of $V=26.8$, $R=25.4$, and $I=23.8$ at superior conjunction of the companion, confirming irradiation of the companion by the pulsar. Modelling the light curves indicates that the companion is likely not filling its Roche lobe, while having a moderate inclination ($i > 54\degr$). We find an unusually low temperature and a low irradiation for the irradiated hemisphere of the companion. We investigate the absence of radio eclipses in PSR J0610-2100 and in other black widow systems in relation to their binary, pulsar, and companion properties. We also discuss the suitability of PSR J0610-2100 for pulsar timing array observations aimed at detecting nano-Hertz gravitational waves., 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication by A&A
Published: 2022

16. The LOFAR Tied-Array All-Sky Survey: Timing of 35 radio pulsars and an overview of the properties of the LOFAR pulsar discoveries

Author: E. van der Wateren, C. G. Bassa, S. Cooper, J.-M. Grießmeier, B. W. Stappers, J. W. T. Hessels, V. I. Kondratiev, D. Michilli, C. M. Tan, C. Tiburzi, P. Weltevrede, A.-S. Bak Nielsen, T. D. Carozzi, B. Ciardi, I. Cognard, R.-J. Dettmar, A. Karastergiou, M. Kramer, J. Künsemöller, S. Osłowski, M. Serylak, C. Vocks, and O. Wucknitz
Subjects: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), general, Space and Planetary Science, Astronomy, pulsars, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: The LOFAR Tied-Array All-Sky Survey (LOTAAS) is the most sensitive untargeted radio pulsar survey performed at low radio frequencies (119--151\,MHz) to date and has discovered 76 new radio pulsars, among which the 23.5-s pulsar J0250+5854, up until recently the slowest-spinning radio pulsar known. Here, we report on the timing solutions of 35 pulsars discovered by LOTAAS, which include a nulling pulsar and a mildly recycled pulsar, and thereby complete the full timing analysis of the LOTAAS pulsar discoveries. We give an overview of the findings from the full LOTAAS sample of 76 pulsars, discussing their pulse profiles, radio spectra and timing parameters. We found that the pulse profiles of some of the pulsars show profile variations in time or frequency and while some pulsars show signs of scattering, a large majority display no pulse broadening. The LOTAAS discoveries have on average steeper radio spectra and have longer spin periods ($1.4\times$) as well as lower spin-down rates ($3.1\times$) compared to the known pulsar population. We discuss the cause of these differences, and attribute them to a combination of selection effects of the LOTAAS survey as well as previous pulsar surveys, though can not rule out that older pulsars tend to have steeper radio spectra., Comment: Accepted to Astronomy & Astrophysics
Published: 2023
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17. Fourier-domain dedispersion

Author: S. van der Vlugt, J. W. Romein, C. G. Bassa, Bram Veenboer, and Stefan J. Wijnholds
Subjects: Physics, Speedup, business.industry, Fast Fourier transform, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics, Software, Titan (supercomputer), Space and Planetary Science, Path (graph theory), Time domain, Graphics, business, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Algorithm, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), Energy (signal processing)
Abstract: We present and implement the concept of the Fourier-domain dedispersion (FDD) algorithm, a brute-force incoherent dedispersion algorithm. This algorithm corrects the frequency-dependent dispersion delays in the arrival time of radio emission from sources such as radio pulsars and fast radio bursts. Where traditional time-domain dedispersion algorithms correct time delays using time shifts, the FDD algorithm performs these shifts by applying phase rotations to the Fourier-transformed time-series data. Incoherent dedispersion to many trial dispersion measures (DMs) is compute, memory-bandwidth and I/O intensive and dedispersion algorithms have been implemented on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to achieve high computational performance. However, time-domain dedispersion algorithms have low arithmetic intensity and are therefore often memory-bandwidth limited. The FDD algorithm avoids this limitation and is compute limited, providing a path to exploit the potential of current and upcoming generations of GPUs. We implement the FDD algorithm as an extension of the DEDISP time-domain dedispersion software. We compare the performance and energy-to-completion of the FDD implementation using an NVIDIA Titan RTX GPU against the standard as well as an optimized version of DEDISP. The optimized implementation already provides a factor of 1.5 to 2 speedup at only 66% of the energy utilization compared to the original algorithm. We find that the FDD algorithm outperforms the optimized time-domain dedispersion algorithm by another 20% in performance and 5% in energy-to-completion when a large number of DMs (>=512) are required. The FDD algorithm provides additional performance improvements for FFT-based periodicity surveys of radio pulsars, as the FFT back to the time domain can be omitted. We expect that this computational performance gain will further improve in the future., 7 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&A
Published: 2021

18. Limits on Anisotropy in the Nanohertz Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background

Author: S. R. Taylor, C. M. F. Mingarelli, J. R. Gair, A. Sesana, G. Theureau, S. Babak, C. G. Bassa, P. Brem, M. Burgay, R. N. Caballero, D. J. Champion, I. Cognard, G. Desvignes, L. Guillemot, J. W. T. Hessels, G. H. Janssen, R. Karuppusamy, M. Kramer, A. Lassus, P. Lazarus, L. Lentati, K. Liu, S. Osłowski, D. Perrodin, A. Petiteau, A. Possenti, M. B. Purver, P. A. Rosado, S. A. Sanidas, R. Smits, B. Stappers, C. Tiburzi, R. van Haasteren, A. Vecchio, and J. P. W. Verbiest
Published: 2015
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19. Analytical simulations of the effect of satellite constellations on optical and near-infrared observations

Author: D. Galadi-Enriquez, Olivier Hainaut, and C. G. Bassa
Subjects: Physics, Near-infrared spectroscopy, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Large numbers, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics, Signal, Field (computer science), Space and Planetary Science, Limiting magnitude, Orbit (dynamics), Satellite, Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), Remote sensing, Constellation
Abstract: The number of satellites in low-Earth orbit is increasing rapidly, and many tens of thousands of them are expected to be launched in the coming years. There is a strong concern among the astronomical community about the contamination of optical and near-infrared observations by satellite trails. We analyze the impact analysis of such constellations on optical and near-infrared astronomical observations in a rigorous and quantitative way, using updated constellation information, and considering imagers and spectrographs and their very different characteristics. We introduce an analytical method that allows us to rapidly and accurately evaluate the effect of a very large number of satellites, accounting for their magnitudes and the effect of trailing of the satellite image during the exposure. We use this to evaluate the impact on a series of representative instruments, including imagers (traditional narrow field instruments, wide-field survey cameras, and astro-photographic cameras) and spectrographs (long-slit and fibre-fed), taking into account their limiting magnitude. As already known (Walker et al. 2020), the effect of satellite trails is more damaging for high-altitude satellites, on wide-field instruments, or essentially during the first and last hours of the night. Thanks to their brighter limiting magnitudes, low- and mid-resolution spectrographs will be less affected, but the contamination will be at about the same level as that of the science signal, introducing additional challenges. High-resolution spectrographs will essentially be immune. We propose a series of mitigating measures, including one that uses the described simulation method to optimize the scheduling of the observations. We conclude that no single mitigation measure will solve the problem of satellite trails for all instruments and all science cases., Comment: 20 pages, 18 figures, submitted to Astronomy & Astrophysics
Published: 2021
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20. Multifrequency observations of SGR J1935+2154

Author: Marc Klein-Wolt, A. Addis, K. Gourdji, A. Possenti, Mateusz Malenta, M. Serylak, Elmar Körding, Mitchell B. Mickaliger, A. J. Cooper, Jason W. T. Hessels, Alessio Magro, Ramesh Karuppusamy, M. Geyer, D. J. Champion, C. G. Bassa, Giovanni Naldi, S. ter Veen, Kaustubh Rajwade, G. Desvignes, Vanessa McBride, Kerry Paterson, Laura Spitler, Germano Bianchi, Laura Driessen, Aditya Parthasarathy, Gianni Bernardi, Fabian Jankowski, Ralph A. M. J. Wijers, Patrick Woudt, Mayuresh Surnis, Benetge Perera, Marco Tavani, V. Venkatraman Krishnan, Marcus E. Lower, Antonia Rowlinson, Michael Kramer, V. I. Kondratiev, Vincent Morello, M. Caleb, Benjamin Stappers, Giancarlo Setti, Matthew Bailes, Mechiel Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Ian Heywood, Paul J. Groot, R. S. Le Poole, Weiwei Chen, M. Burgay, Giuseppe Pupillo, S. Buchner, Steven Bloemen, Ziggy Pleunis, Andrew Lyne, Kang Liu, Maura Pilia, P. M. Vreeswijk, D. L. A. Pieterse, ITA, GBR, AUS, High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique (LESIA (UMR_8109)), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, and Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Subjects: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Astronomy, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, LOFAR, Astrophysics, Magnetar, Astrophysics - high energy astrophysical phenomena, 01 natural sciences, Optical telescope, law.invention, Telescope, Radio telescope, 13. Climate action, Space and Planetary Science, law, 0103 physical sciences, Stars: magnetars, Optical emission spectroscopy, Fast radio bursts, [PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph], 010303 astronomy & astrophysics
Abstract: Magnetars are a promising candidate for the origin of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). The detection of an extremely luminous radio burst from the Galactic magnetar SGR J1935+2154 on 2020 April 28 added credence to this hypothesis. We report on simultaneous and non-simultaneous observing campaigns using the Arecibo, Effelsberg, LOFAR, MeerKAT, MK2 and Northern Cross radio telescopes and the MeerLICHT optical telescope in the days and months after the April 28 event. We did not detect any significant single radio pulses down to fluence limits between 25 mJy ms and 18 Jy ms. Some observing epochs overlapped with times when X-ray bursts were detected. Radio images made on four days using the MeerKAT telescope revealed no point-like persistent or transient emission at the location of the magnetar. No transient or persistent optical emission was detected over seven days. Using the multi-colour MeerLICHT images combined with relations between DM, NH and reddening we constrain the distance to SGR J1935+2154, to be between 1.5 and 6.5 kpc. The upper limit is consistent with some other distance indicators and suggests that the April 28 burst is closer to two orders of magnitude less energetic than the least energetic FRBs. The lack of single-pulse radio detections shows that the single pulses detected over a range of fluences are either rare, or highly clustered, or both. It may also indicate that the magnetar lies somewhere between being radio-quiet and radio-loud in terms of its ability to produce radio emission efficiently., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Corresponding author B. W. Stappers
Published: 2021
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21. The LOFAR Tied-Array all-sky survey: Timing of 21 pulsars including the first binary pulsar discovered with LOFAR

Author: V. I. Kondratiev, S. Sanidas, Benjamin Stappers, Olaf Wucknitz, C. M. Tan, Gottfried Mann, Daniele Michilli, Caterina Tiburzi, B. Ciardi, C. G. Bassa, Dominik J. Schwarz, C. Vocks, Matthias Hoeft, S. Cooper, Arpad Miskolczi, J.Y. Donner, Jason W. T. Hessels, J. van Leeuwen, Patrick Weltevrede, J.-M. Grießmeier, Michael Kramer, High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, and PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Subjects: media_common.quotation_subject, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Binary number, Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Binary pulsar, law.invention, Telescope, Pulsar, law, pulsars: general, 0103 physical sciences, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, media_common, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), [PHYS]Physics [physics], Physics, Spectral index, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, White dwarf, Astronomy and Astrophysics, LOFAR, pulsars: individual: PSR J1658+3630, methods: data analysis, pulsars: PSR J1658+3630, Space and Planetary Science, Sky, methods: observational, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, [PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]
Abstract: We report on the multi-frequency timing observations of 21 pulsars discovered in the LOFAR Tied-Array All-Sky Survey (LOTAAS). The timing data were taken at central frequencies of 149 MHz (LOFAR) as well as 334 and 1532 MHz (Lovell Telecope). The sample of pulsars includes 20 isolated pulsars and the first binary pulsar discovered by the survey, PSR J1658$+$3630. We modelled the timing properties of the pulsars, which showed that they have, on average, larger characteristic ages. We present the pulse profiles of the pulsars across the three observing bands, where PSR J1643$+$1338 showed profile evolution that appears not to be well-described by the radius-to-frequency-mapping model. Furthermore, we modelled the spectra of the pulsars across the same observing bands, using a simple power law, and found an average spectral index of $-1.9 \pm 0.5$. Amongst the pulsars studied here, PSR J1657$+$3304 showed large flux density variations of a factor of 10 over 300 days, as well as mode changing and nulling on timescales of a few minutes. We modelled the rotational and orbital properties of PSR J1658$+$3630, which has a spin period of 33 ms in a binary orbit of 3.0 days with a companion of minimum mass of 0.87$M_{\odot}$, likely a Carbon-Oxygen or Oxygen-Neon-Magnesium type white dwarf. PSR J1658$+$3630 has a dispersion measure of 3.0 pc cm$^{-3}$, making it possibly one of the closest binary pulsars known., 21 pages, 12 figures, Accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Published: 2020
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22. Limits on Absorption from a 332-MHz survey for Fast Radio Bursts

Author: Evan Keane, Mitchell B. Mickaliger, C. G. Bassa, Aris Karastergiou, Benjamin Stappers, Rene P. Breton, and Kaustubh Rajwade
Subjects: media_common.quotation_subject, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Jodrell Bank Observatory, Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Low frequency, 01 natural sciences, law.invention, Telescope, law, 0103 physical sciences, Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics, media_common, Physics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment, Compton scattering, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Supernova, 13. Climate action, Space and Planetary Science, Sky, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are bright, extragalactic radio pulses whose origins are still unknown. Until recently, most FRBs have been detected at frequencies greater than 1 GHz with a few exceptions at 800 MHz. The recent discoveries of FRBs at 400 MHz from the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) telescope has opened up possibilities for new insights about the progenitors while many other low frequency surveys in the past have failed to find any FRBs. Here, we present results from a FRB survey recently conducted at the Jodrell Bank Observatory at 332 MHz with the 76-m Lovell telescope for a total of 58 days. We did not detect any FRBs in the survey and report a 90$\%$ upper limit of 5500 FRBs per day per sky for a Euclidean Universe above a fluence threshold of 46 Jy ms. We discuss the possibility of absorption as the main cause of non-detections in low frequency (< 800 MHz) searches and invoke different absorption models to explain the same. We find that Induced Compton Scattering alone cannot account for absorption of radio emission and that our simulations favour a combination of Induced Compton Scattering and Free-Free Absorption to explain the non-detections. For a free-free absorption scenario, our constraints on the electron density are consistent with those expected in the post-shock region of the ionized ejecta in Super-Luminous SuperNovae (SLSNe)., 12 pages, 9 Figures, 2 Tables, Second revision submitted to MNRAS
Published: 2020
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23. Measuring Interstellar Delays of PSR J0613-0200 over 7 years, using the Large European Array for Pulsars

Author: M. Gaikwad, Kejia Lee, S. Sanidas, C. G. Bassa, Siyuan Chen, John Antoniadis, Mitchell B. Mickaliger, Gemma H. Janssen, Weiwei Zhu, Benjamin Stappers, Long Wang, H. Hu, G. Mall, Delphine Perrodin, Olaf Wucknitz, Michael Kramer, Caterina Tiburzi, Ramesh Karuppusamy, Ismaël Cognard, R. A. Main, J. W. McKee, Kang Liu, Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO), Franche-Comté Électronique Mécanique, Thermique et Optique - Sciences et Technologies (UMR 6174) (FEMTO-ST), Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbeliard (UTBM)-Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et des Microtechniques (ENSMM)-Université de Franche-Comté (UFC), Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC)-Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), ITA, GBR, FRA, DEU, CAN, GRC, NLD, and CHN
Subjects: Astronomy, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, law.invention, Telescope, pulsars: individual: PSR J0613−0200, Pulsar, Millisecond pulsar, law, pulsars: general, 0103 physical sciences, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Physics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Scintillation, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Scattering, Gravitational wave, Spectral density, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pulse (physics), Space and Planetary Science, [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics], [PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph], Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: Using data from the Large European Array for Pulsars (LEAP), and the Effelsberg telescope, we study the scintillation parameters of the millisecond pulsar J0613-0200 over a 7 year timespan. The "secondary spectrum" -- the 2D power spectrum of scintillation -- presents the scattered power as a function of time delay, and contains the relative velocities of the pulsar, observer, and scattering material. We detect a persistent parabolic scintillation arc, suggesting scattering is dominated by a thin, anisotropic region. The scattering is poorly described by a simple exponential tail, with excess power at high delays; we measure significant, detectable scattered power at times out to $\sim 5 \mu s$, and measure the bulk scattering delay to be between 50 to 200\,ns with particularly strong scattering throughout 2013. These delays are too small to detect a change of the pulse profile shape, yet they would change the times-of-arrival as measured through pulsar timing. The arc curvature varies annually, and is well fit by a one-dimensional scattering screen $\sim 40\%$ of the way towards the pulsar, with a changing orientation during the increased scattering in 2013. Effects of uncorrected scattering will introduce time delays correlated over time in individual pulsars, and may need to be considered in gravitational wave analyses. Pulsar timing programs would benefit from simultaneously recording in a way that scintillation can be resolved, in order to monitor the variable time delays caused by multipath propagation., Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures. Published in MNRAS
Published: 2020
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24. The High Time Resolution Universe Pulsar Survey - XVI. Discovery and timing of 40 pulsars from the southern Galactic plane

Author: Cherry Ng, Samuel Bates, Caterina Tiburzi, N. D. R. Bhat, W. van Straten, Benjamin Stappers, Vishnu Balakrishnan, Chris Flynn, Jingwen Wu, Michael Kramer, Lina Levin, D. J. Champion, Michael Keith, Andrew Lyne, A. D. Cameron, C. G. Bassa, Andrew Jameson, Shivani Bhandari, Simon Johnston, David A. Smith, A. Possenti, Matthew Bailes, M. Burgay, Ewan Barr, E. Petroff, Sarah Burke-Spolaor, Centre d'Etudes Nucléaires de Bordeaux Gradignan (CENBG), and Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Subjects: media_common.quotation_subject, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Population, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Binary pulsar, Luminosity, stars: neutron, Pulsar, surveys, Millisecond pulsar, pulsars: general, 0103 physical sciences, education, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, media_common, Physics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), education.field_of_study, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Galactic plane, Orbital period, Universe, Space and Planetary Science, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, [PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]
Abstract: We present the results of processing an additional 44% of the High Time Resolution Universe South Low Latitude (HTRU-S LowLat) pulsar survey, the most sensitive blind pulsar survey of the southern Galactic plane to date. Our partially-coherent segmented acceleration search pipeline is designed to enable the discovery of pulsars in short, highly-accelerated orbits, while our 72-min integration lengths will allow us to discover pulsars at the lower end of the pulsar luminosity distribution. We report the discovery of 40 pulsars, including three millisecond pulsar-white dwarf binary systems (PSRs J1537-5312, J1547-5709 and J1618-4624), a black-widow binary system (PSR J1745-23) and a candidate black-widow binary system (PSR J1727-2951), a glitching pulsar (PSR J1706-4434), an eclipsing binary pulsar with a 1.5-yr orbital period (PSR J1653-45), and a pair of long spin-period binary pulsars which display either nulling or intermittent behaviour (PSRs J1812-15 and J1831-04). We show that the total population of 100 pulsars discovered in the HTRU-S LowLat survey to date represents both an older and lower-luminosity population, and indicates that we have yet to reach the bottom of the luminosity distribution function. We present evaluations of the performance of our search technique and of the overall yield of the survey, considering the 94% of the survey which we have processed to date. We show that our pulsar yield falls below earlier predictions by approximately 25% (especially in the case of millisecond pulsars), and discuss explanations for this discrepancy as well as future adaptations in RFI mitigation and searching techniques which may address these shortfalls., Comment: 28 pages, 9 figures, 13 tables
Published: 2020
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25. The LOFAR Tied-Array All-Sky Survey (LOTAAS): Characterization of 20 pulsar discoveries and their single-pulse behavior

Author: V. I. Kondratiev, Benjamin Stappers, S. Sanidas, C. G. Bassa, Jean-Mathias Grießmeier, Daniele Michilli, C. M. Tan, Joris P. W. Verbiest, Patrick Weltevrede, S. Cooper, Jason W. T. Hessels, J. van Leeuwen, Ismaël Cognard, A. G. Lyne, High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), McGill University = Université McGill [Montréal, Canada], Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek (AI PANNEKOEK), University of Amsterdam [Amsterdam] (UvA), Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics (JBCA), University of Manchester [Manchester], P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences [Moscow] (LPI RAS), Russian Academy of Sciences [Moscow] (RAS), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universität Bielefeld, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR), The Nançay Radio Observatory is operated by the Paris Observatory, associated with the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique(CNRS) and Université d’Orléans., European Project: 337062,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-StG,DRAGNET(2014), European Project: 617199,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-CoG,ALERT(2014), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), and Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)
Subjects: media_common.quotation_subject, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, observational [methods], FOS: Physical sciences, Flux, Ephemerides, Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Ephemeris, general [pulsars], 01 natural sciences, law.invention, Radio telescope, Rotating radio transient, Telescope, Pulsar, law, pulsars: general, 0103 physical sciences, ephemerides, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, media_common, [PHYS]Physics [physics], High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, [SDU.ASTR.SR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Solar and Stellar Astrophysics [astro-ph.SR], 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, LOFAR, Space and Planetary Science, Sky, methods: observational, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: We are using the LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR) to perform the LOFAR Tied-Array All-Sky (LOTAAS) survey for pulsars and fast transients. Here, we present the astrometric and rotational parameters of 20 pulsars discovered as part of LOTAAS. These pulsars have regularly been observed with LOFAR at 149 MHz and the Lovell telescope at 1532 MHz, supplemented by some observations with the Lovell telescope at 334 MHz and the Nançay Radio Telescope at 1484 MHz. Timing models are calculated for the 20 pulsars, some of which are among the slowest spinning pulsars known. PSR J1236 − 0159 rotates with a period P ∼ 3.6 s, while five additional pulsars show P > 2 s. Also, the spin-down rates P˙P˙ are, on average, low, with PSR J0815 + 4611 showing P˙∼4×10−18. Some of the pulse profiles, generically single-peaked, present complex shapes evolving with frequency. Multifrequency flux measurements show that these pulsars have generically relatively steep spectra but exceptions are present, with values ranging between ∼−4 and −1. Among the pulsar sample, a large fraction shows large single-pulse variability, with four pulsars being undetectable more than 15 per cent15 per cent of the time and one tentatively classified as a Rotating Radio Transient. Two single-peaked pulsars show drifting sub-pulses.
Published: 2020
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26. Correlated timing noise and high precision pulsar timing: Measuring frequency second derivatives as an example

Author: C. G. Bassa, Michael Keith, X. J. Liu, and Benjamin Stappers
Subjects: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, Particle physics, individual: PSR B182124A, PSR J19093744, PSR B1937+21 [pulsars], 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Gravitational wave, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, general [pulsars], 01 natural sciences, Power law, Pulsar timing array, European Pulsar Timing Array, Pulsar, 13. Climate action, Space and Planetary Science, Colors of noise, Millisecond pulsar, 0103 physical sciences, data analysis [methods], Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Noise (radio)
Abstract: We investigate the impact of noise processes on high-precision pulsar timing. Our analysis focuses on the measurability of the second spin frequency derivative $\ddot{\nu}$. This $\ddot{\nu}$ can be induced by several factors including the radial velocity of a pulsar. We use Bayesian methods to model the pulsar times-of-arrival in the presence of red timing noise and dispersion measure variations, modelling the noise processes as power laws. Using simulated times-of-arrival that both include red noise, dispersion measure variations and non-zero $\ddot{\nu}$ values, we find that we are able to recover the injected $\ddot{\nu}$, even when the noise model used to inject and recover the input parameters are different. Using simulations, we show that the measurement uncertainty on $\ddot{\nu}$ decreases with the timing baseline $T$ as $T^\gamma$, where $\gamma=-7/2+\alpha/2$ for power law noise models with shallow power law indices $\alpha$ ($08$), the measurement uncertainty reduces with $T^{-1/2}$. We applied this method to times-of-arrival from the European Pulsar Timing Array and the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array and determined $\ddot{\nu}$ probability density functions for 49 millisecond pulsars. We find a statistically significant $\ddot{\nu}$ value for PSR\,B1937+21 and consider possible options for its origin. Significant (95 per cent C.L.) values for $\ddot{\nu}$ are also measured for PSRs\,J0621+1002 and J1022+1001, thus future studies should consider including it in their ephemerides. For binary pulsars with small orbital eccentricities, like PSR\,J1909$-$3744, extended ELL1 models should be used to overcome computational issues. The impacts of our results on the detection of gravitational waves are also discussed., Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures; Accepted by MNRAS
Published: 2019
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27. Evidence for an intermediate-mass black hole in the globular cluster NGC 6624

Author: Michael Kramer, Lucas Guillemot, Andrew Lyne, Ismaël Cognard, Ben Stappers, C. G. Bassa, Benetge Perera, Gregory Desvignes, Gilles Theureau, Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester [Manchester], Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR), European Project: 337062,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-StG,DRAGNET(2014), European Project: 610058,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-SyG,BLACKHOLECAM(2014), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES)
Subjects: Stellar mass, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Binary pulsar, neutron – pulsars: individual: PSR B1820–30A – globular clusters: individual: NGC 6624 [black hole physics – stars], Pulsar, Millisecond pulsar, 0103 physical sciences, Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR), Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Astronomy, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies, Black hole, Neutron star, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science, Intermediate-mass black hole, Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA), Globular cluster, [SDU.ASTR.GA]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Galactic Astrophysics [astro-ph.GA], Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: PSR B1820$-$30A is located in the globular cluster NGC 6624 and is the closest known pulsar to the centre of any globular cluster. We present more than 25 years of high-precision timing observations of this millisecond pulsar and obtain four rotational frequency time derivative measurements. Modelling these higher-order derivatives as being due to orbital motion, we find solutions which indicate that the pulsar is in either a low-eccentricity ($0.33\lesssim e\lesssim0.4$) smaller orbit with a low mass companion (such as a main sequence star, white dwarf, neutron star, or stellar mass black hole) or a high-eccentricity ($e\gtrsim0.9$) larger orbit with a massive companion. The cluster mass properties and the observed properties of 4U 1820$-$30 and the other pulsars in the cluster argue against the low-eccentricity possibility. The high-eccentricity solution reveals that the pulsar is most likely orbiting around an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) of mass $> 7,500$~M$_\odot$ located at the cluster centre. A gravitational model for the globular cluster, which includes such a central black hole (BH), predicts an acceleration that is commensurate with that measured for the pulsar. It further predicts that the model-dependent minimum mass of the IMBH is $\sim60,000$~M$_\odot$. Accounting for the associated contribution to the observed period derivative indicates that the $\gamma$-ray efficiency of the pulsar should be between 0.08 and 0.2. Our results suggest that other globular clusters may also contain central black holes and they may be revealed by the study of new pulsars found sufficiently close to their centres. Note that we found an erratum in Section 5 and thus, the $\sim$60,000~M$_\odot$ mass mentioned above has to be replaced by the correct model-dependent mass limit of $\sim$20,000~M$_\odot$. See the erratum appended., Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, Accepted by MNRAS on 23 February 2017. Erratum was accepted by MNRAS on 17 May 2017
Published: 2017
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28. A direct localization of a fast radio burst and its host

Author: Jason W. T. Hessels, Matthew W. Abruzzo, Michael P. Rupen, H. J. van Langevelde, Scott M. Ransom, Paul Demorest, Sarah Burke-Spolaor, Bryan J. Butler, Zsolt Paragi, P. Scholz, Shami Chatterjee, Benito Marcote, V. M. Kaspi, Maura McLaughlin, A. Keimpema, Slavko Bogdanov, Laura Spitler, Andrew Seymour, Geoffrey C. Bower, C. G. Bassa, James M. Cordes, T. J. W. Lazio, Robert Wharton, Casey J. Law, Shriharsh P. Tendulkar, and High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI)
Subjects: Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO), Active galactic nucleus, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, X-shaped radio galaxy, 0103 physical sciences, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, Nebula, Multidisciplinary, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Fast radio burst, Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astronomy, Galaxy, Interstellar medium, Neutron star, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
Abstract: Fast radio bursts are astronomical radio flashes of unknown physical nature with durations of milliseconds. Their dispersive arrival times suggest an extragalactic origin and imply radio luminosities orders of magnitude larger than any other kind of known short-duration radio transient. Thus far, all FRBs have been detected with large single-dish telescopes with arcminute localizations, and attempts to identify their counterparts (source or host galaxy) have relied on contemporaneous variability of field sources or the presence of peculiar field stars or galaxies. These attempts have not resulted in an unambiguous association with a host or multi-wavelength counterpart. Here we report the sub-arcsecond localization of FRB 121102, the only known repeating burst source, using high-time-resolution radio interferometric observations that directly image the bursts themselves. Our precise localization reveals that FRB 121102 originates within 100 mas of a faint 180 uJy persistent radio source with a continuum spectrum that is consistent with non-thermal emission, and a faint (25th magnitude) optical counterpart. The flux density of the persistent radio source varies by tens of percent on day timescales, and very long baseline radio interferometry yields an angular size less than 1.7 mas. Our observations are inconsistent with the fast radio burst having a Galactic origin or its source being located within a prominent star-forming galaxy. Instead, the source appears to be co-located with a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus or a previously unknown type of extragalactic source. [Truncated] If other fast radio bursts have similarly faint radio and optical counterparts, our findings imply that direct sub-arcsecond localizations of FRBs may be the only way to provide reliable associations., Nature, published online on 4 Jan 2017, DOI: 10.1038/nature20797
Published: 2017
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29. A massive millisecond pulsar in an eccentric binary

Author: Michael Kramer, C. G. Bassa, D. J. Champion, Andrew Lyne, Benjamin Stappers, Ewan Barr, M. Berezina, and Paulo C. C. Freire
Subjects: Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Population, Pulsar planet, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Binary pulsar, Pulsar, Millisecond pulsar, 0103 physical sciences, Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, education, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR), Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, education.field_of_study, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, White dwarf, Astronomy, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Neutron star, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science, Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, Circumbinary planet, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: The recent discovery of a population of eccentric (e ~ 0.1) millisecond pulsar (MSP) binaries with low-mass white dwarf companions in the Galactic field represents a challenge to evolutionary models that explain MSP formation as recycling: all such models predict that the orbits become highly circularised during a long period of accretion. The members of this new population exhibit remarkably similar properties (orbital periods, eccentricities, companion masses, spin periods) and several models have been put forward that suggest a common formation channel. In this work we present the results of an extensive timing campaign focusing on one member of this new population, PSR J1946+3417. Through measurement of the both the advance of periastron and Shapiro delay for this system, we determine the mass of the pulsar, companion and the inclination of the orbit to be 1.828(22) Msun, 0.2656(19) Msun and 76.4(6) , under the assumption that general relativity is the true description of gravity. Notably, this is the third highest mass measured for any pulsar. Using these masses and the astrometric properties of PSR J1946+3417 we examine three proposed formation channels for eccentric MSP binaries. While our results are consistent with eccentricity growth driven by a circumbinary disk or neutron star to strange star phase transition, we rule out rotationally delayed accretion-induced collapse as the mechanism responsible for the configuration of the PSR J1946+3417 system., Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables
Published: 2016
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30. High-precision timing of 42 millisecond pulsars with the European Pulsar Timing Array

Author: P. Lazarus, R. van Haasteren, Christine Jordan, Pablo Rosado, Jason W. T. Hessels, S. Babak, Alberto Sesana, Joris P. W. Verbiest, Chiara M. F. Mingarelli, Benjamin Stappers, A. Jessner, D. J. Champion, J. W. McKee, J. R. Gair, Lucas Guillemot, Delphine Perrodin, Antoine Petiteau, P. Brem, Michael Kramer, Ramesh Karuppusamy, Andrew Lyne, Ismaël Cognard, Gregory Desvignes, Gilles Theureau, Kejia Lee, G. Shaifullah, E. Graikou, M. Burgay, Stefan Oslowski, M. B. Purver, Caterina Tiburzi, R. Smits, K. Lazaridis, Stephen Taylor, R. N. Caballero, Kang Liu, C. G. Bassa, A. Lassus, Gemma H. Janssen, Alberto Vecchio, S. Sanidas, L. Lentati, A. Possenti, Desvignes, G, Caballero, R, Lentati, L, Verbiest, J, Champion, D, Stappers, B, Janssen, G, Lazarus, P, Osłowski, S, Babak, S, Bassa, C, Brem, P, Burgay, M, Cognard, I, Gair, J, Graikou, E, Guillemot, L, Hessels, J, Jessner, A, Jordan, C, Karuppusamy, R, Kramer, M, Lassus, A, Lazaridis, K, Lee, K, Liu, K, Lyne, A, Mckee, J, Mingarelli, C, Perrodin, D, Petiteau, A, Possenti, A, Purver, M, Rosado, P, Sanidas, S, Sesana, A, Shaifullah, G, Smits, R, Taylor, S, Theureau, G, Tiburzi, C, van Haasteren, R, Vecchio, A, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR), Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge [UK] (CAM), Universität Bielefeld, Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester [Manchester], Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy ( ASTRON ), Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari (OAC), Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of Amsterdam [Amsterdam] (UvA), Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics [Beijing] (KIAA-PKU), Peking University [Beijing], APC - Gravitation (APC-Gravitation), AstroParticule et Cosmologie (APC (UMR_7164)), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft-Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing [Swinburne] (CAS), Swinburne University of Technology [Melbourne], Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA-California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Theoretical Astrophysics [Pasadena] (TAPIR), California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Birmingham City University (BCU), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.11373011)., European Project: 337062,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-StG,DRAGNET(2014), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy [Pasadena], California Institute of Technology (CALTECH)-California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO), Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), and High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI)
Subjects: astro-ph.SR, FOS: Physical sciences, Proper motion, Astrophysics, Magnetar, 01 natural sciences, Radio spectrum, Radio telescope, Pulsar timing array, proper motions, Pulsar, Millisecond pulsar, 0103 physical sciences, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR), Stars: Distance, astro-ph.HE, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, [SDU.ASTR.SR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Solar and Stellar Astrophysics [astro-ph.SR], 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Pulsars: General, Astronomy, Astronomy and Astrophysics, pulsars:general, European Pulsar Timing Array, Neutron star, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science, stars: distances, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, stars:distances, astro-ph.IM
Abstract: We report on the high-precision timing of 42 radio millisecond pulsars (MSPs) observed by the European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA). This EPTA Data Release 1.0 extends up to mid-2014 and baselines range from 7-18 years. It forms the basis for the stochastic gravitational-wave background, anisotropic background, and continuous-wave limits recently presented by the EPTA elsewhere. The Bayesian timing analysis performed with TempoNest yields the detection of several new parameters: seven parallaxes, nine proper motions and, in the case of six binary pulsars, an apparent change of the semi-major axis. We find the NE2001 Galactic electron density model to be a better match to our parallax distances (after correction from the Lutz-Kelker bias) than the M2 and M3 models by Schnitzeler (2012). However, we measure an average uncertainty of 80\% (fractional) for NE2001, three times larger than what is typically assumed in the literature. We revisit the transverse velocity distribution for a set of 19 isolated and 57 binary MSPs and find no statistical difference between these two populations. We detect Shapiro delay in the timing residuals of PSRs J1600$-$3053 and J1918$-$0642, implying pulsar and companion masses $m_p=1.22_{-0.35}^{+0.5} \text{M}_{\odot}$, $m_c = 0.21_{-0.04}^{+0.06} \text{M}_{\odot }$ and $m_p=1.25_{-0.4}^{+0.6} \text{M}_{\odot}$, $m_c = 0.23_{-0.05}^{+0.07} \text{M}_{\odot }$, respectively. Finally, we use the measurement of the orbital period derivative to set a stringent constraint on the distance to PSRs J1012$+$5307 and J1909$-$3744, and set limits on the longitude of ascending node through the search of the annual-orbital parallax for PSRs J1600$-$3053 and J1909$-$3744., Comment: 42 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS
Published: 2016
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31. The LOFAR Tied-Array All-Sky Survey (LOTAAS): Survey overview and initial pulsar discoveries

Author: V. I. Kondratiev, Charlotte Sobey, Emanuela Orrú, M. C. Toribio, Benjamin Stappers, J. van Leeuwen, Roberto Pizzo, Richard Fallows, Aleksandar Shulevski, C. G. Bassa, S. Sanidas, Daniele Michilli, Aris Karastergiou, S. ter Veen, Pietro Zucca, C. M. Tan, M. Iacobelli, J.-M. Grießmeier, Michael Kramer, L. Cerrigone, S. Cooper, L. Bondonneau, Jason W. T. Hessels, Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek (AI PANNEKOEK), University of Amsterdam [Amsterdam] (UvA), Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics (JBCA), University of Manchester [Manchester], Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), Dipartimento di Matematica 'Guido Castelnuovo' [Roma I] (Sapienza University of Rome), Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza' = Sapienza University [Rome], Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics (IMAPP), Radboud university [Nijmegen], Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO), Oxford Astrophysics, University of Oxford [Oxford], Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR), CNRS-INSU, France Observatoire de Paris, France, European Project: 337062,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-StG,DRAGNET(2014), European Project: 617199,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-CoG,ALERT(2014), High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza' = Sapienza University [Rome] (UNIROMA), Radboud University [Nijmegen], Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and University of Oxford
Subjects: media_common.quotation_subject, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Population, general [Pulsars], FOS: Physical sciences, Flux, Binary number, Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Radio telescope, Pulsar, Millisecond pulsar, pulsars: general, 0103 physical sciences, observational [Methods], data analysis [Methods], education, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, media_common, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, [PHYS]Physics [physics], education.field_of_study, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, [SDU.ASTR.SR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Solar and Stellar Astrophysics [astro-ph.SR], Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, LOFAR, methods: data analysis, Space and Planetary Science, Sky, methods: observational, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, [PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]
Abstract: We present an overview of the LOFAR Tied-Array All-Sky Survey (LOTAAS) for radio pulsars and fast transients. The survey uses the high-band antennas of the LOFAR Superterp, the dense inner part of the LOFAR core, to survey the northern sky (dec > 0 deg) at a central observing frequency of 135 MHz. A total of 219 tied-array beams (coherent summation of station signals, covering 12 square degrees), as well as three incoherent beams (covering 67 square degrees) are formed in each survey pointing. For each ofthe 222 beams, total intensity is recorded at 491.52 us time resolution. Each observation integrates for 1 hr and covers 2592 channels from 119 to 151 MHz. This instrumental setup allows LOTAAS to reach a detection threshold of 1 to 5 mJy for periodic emission. Thus far, the LOTAAS survey has resulted in the discovery of 73 radio pulsars. Among these are two mildly recycled binary millisecond pulsars (P = 13 and 33 ms), as well as the slowest-spinning radio pulsar currently known (P = 23.5 s). The survey has thus far detected 311 known pulsars, with spin periods ranging from 4 ms to 5.0 s and dispersion measures from 3.0 to 217 pc/cc. Known pulsars are detected at flux densities consistent with literature values. We find that the LOTAAS pulsar discoveries have, on average, longer spin periods than the known pulsar population. This may reflect different selection biases between LOTAAS and previous surveys, though it is also possible that slower-spinning pulsars preferentially have steeper radio spectra. LOTAAS is the deepest all-sky pulsar survey using a digital aperture array; we discuss some of the lessons learned that can inform the approach for similar surveys using future radio telescopes such as the Square Kilometre Array., 22 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in A&A
Published: 2019
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32. The International Pulsar Timing Array: Second data release

Author: Sarah Burke-Spolaor, Robert D. Ferdman, Stephen Taylor, Lei Zhang, Janna Goldstein, Caterina Tiburzi, Alberto Sesana, Ingrid H. Stairs, Elizabeth C. Ferrara, N. D. R. Bhat, Benetge Perera, Aditya Parthasarathy, Michael Kramer, H. Hu, Richard N. Manchester, Joseph Simon, L. Lentati, Matthew Kerr, Shi Dai, R. N. Caballero, Megan E. DeCesar, Paul Demorest, A. Possenti, Xing-Jiang Zhu, Kathryn Crowter, Weiwei Zhu, C. G. Bassa, Emmanuel Fonseca, Kejia Lee, Scott M. Ransom, Michael Keith, Stefan Oslowski, Chiara M. F. Mingarelli, D. J. Champion, Ramesh Karuppusamy, David J. Nice, Andrew Lyne, Timothy T. Pennucci, Timothy Dolch, J. K. Swiggum, Benjamin Stappers, K. Islo, Lucas Guillemot, Michele Vallisneri, J. B. Wang, X. Siemens, Gregory Desvignes, Gilles Theureau, James M. Cordes, Ismaël Cognard, Renée Spiewak, Siyuan Chen, Jing Luo, S. A. Sanidas, P. T. Baker, A. Brazier, Songbo Zhang, Alberto Vecchio, George Hobbs, Delphine Perrodin, Michael T. Lam, Jeffrey S. Hazboun, M. Burgay, Daniel J. Reardon, Zaven Arzoumanian, G. Shaifullah, J. W. McKee, Maura McLaughlin, Christopher J. Russell, Sourav Chatterjee, Kang Liu, Matthew Bailes, Gemma H. Janssen, Ryan Shannon, E. Graikou, Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO), Franche-Comté Électronique Mécanique, Thermique et Optique - Sciences et Technologies (UMR 6174) (FEMTO-ST), Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbeliard (UTBM)-Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et des Microtechniques (ENSMM)-Université de Franche-Comté (UFC), Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC)-Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique (LESIA (UMR_8109)), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Univers et Théories (LUTH (UMR_8102)), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7), Perera, B, Decesar, M, Demorest, P, Kerr, M, Lentati, L, Nice, D, Osłowski, S, Ransom, S, Keith, M, Arzoumanian, Z, Bailes, M, Baker, P, Bassa, C, Bhat, N, Brazier, A, Burgay, M, Burke-Spolaor, S, Caballero, R, Champion, D, Chatterjee, S, Chen, S, Cognard, I, Cordes, J, Crowter, K, Dai, S, Desvignes, G, Dolch, T, Ferdman, R, Ferrara, E, Fonseca, E, Goldstein, J, Graikou, E, Guillemot, L, Hazboun, J, Hobbs, G, Hu, H, Islo, K, Janssen, G, Karuppusamy, R, Kramer, M, Lam, M, Lee, K, Liu, K, Luo, J, Lyne, A, Manchester, R, Mckee, J, Mclaughlin, M, Mingarelli, C, Parthasarathy, A, Pennucci, T, Perrodin, D, Possenti, A, Reardon, D, Russell, C, Sanidas, S, Sesana, A, Shaifullah, G, Shannon, R, Siemens, X, Simon, J, Spiewak, R, Stairs, I, Stappers, B, Swiggum, J, Taylor, S, Theureau, G, Tiburzi, C, Vallisneri, M, Vecchio, A, Wang, J, Zhang, S, Zhang, L, Zhu, W, Zhu, X, Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Franche-Comté (UFC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et des Microtechniques (ENSMM)-Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbeliard (UTBM), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS), and PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Subjects: Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Ephemeris, 01 natural sciences, Pulsar timing array, stars: neutron, neutron [stars], Pulsar, Millisecond pulsar, Observatory, pulsars: general, 0103 physical sciences, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Physics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), [SDU.ASTR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph], 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Gravitational wave, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astronomy, Astronomy and Astrophysics, methods: data analysis, European Pulsar Timing Array, gravitational waves, Space and Planetary Science, [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics], pulsars, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, [PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph], Noise (radio), Methods: data analysi
Abstract: In this paper, we describe the International Pulsar Timing Array second data release, which includes recent pulsar timing data obtained by three regional consortia: the European Pulsar Timing Array, the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves, and the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array. We analyse and where possible combine high-precision timing data for 65 millisecond pulsars which are regularly observed by these groups. A basic noise analysis, including the processes which are both correlated and uncorrelated in time, provides noise models and timing ephemerides for the pulsars. We find that the timing precisions of pulsars are generally improved compared to the previous data release, mainly due to the addition of new data in the combination. The main purpose of this work is to create the most up-to-date IPTA data release. These data are publicly available for searches for low-frequency gravitational waves and other pulsar science., Comment: Submitted to MNRAS and in review, 23 pages, 5 figures
Published: 2019
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33. Tests of gravitational symmetries with pulsar binary J1713+0747

Author: Michael Kramer, Kang Liu, Robert D. Ferdman, Lina Levin, P. Lazarus, Marjorie Gonzalez, Michael T. Lam, Gemma H. Janssen, Kejia Lee, Timothy Dolch, Norbert Wex, Scott M. Ransom, Kathryn Crowter, A. Jessner, Ramesh Karuppusamy, J. K. Swiggum, Andrew Lyne, K. Lazaridis, M. L. Jones, Gregory Desvignes, J. W. McKee, Gilles Theureau, Ismaël Cognard, R. Smits, Maura McLaughlin, A. Krieger, Weiwei Zhu, M. Burgay, D. J. Champion, Timothy T. Pennucci, Delphine Perrodin, Caterina Tiburzi, L. Lentati, Kevin Stovall, Joris P. W. Verbiest, A. Possenti, Christine Jordan, Glenn Jones, G. Shaifullah, E. Graikou, J. A. Ellis, David J. Nice, R. N. Caballero, Ingrid H. Stairs, Stefan Oslowski, Jason W. T. Hessels, C. G. Bassa, Emmanuel Fonseca, Benjamin Stappers, S. A. Sanidas, Zaven Arzoumanian, Lucas Guillemot, Paul Demorest, High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Univers et Théories (LUTH (UMR_8102)), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace ( LPC2E ), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ) -Université d'Orléans ( UO ) -Institut national des sciences de l'Univers ( INSU - CNRS ), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay ( USN ), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers ( INSU - CNRS ) -Observatoire de Paris-Université d'Orléans ( UO ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ), Laboratoire Univers et Théories ( LUTH ), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers ( INSU - CNRS ) -Observatoire de Paris-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 ( UPD7 ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ), Zhu, W, Desvignes, G, Wex, N, Caballero, R, Champion, D, Demorest, P, Ellis, J, Janssen, G, Kramer, M, Krieger, A, Lentati, L, Nice, D, Ransom, S, Stairs, I, Stappers, B, Verbiest, J, Arzoumanian, Z, Bassa, C, Burgay, M, Cognard, I, Crowter, K, Dolch, T, Ferdman, R, Fonseca, E, Gonzalez, M, Graikou, E, Guillemot, L, Hessels, J, Jessner, A, Jones, G, Jones, M, Jordan, C, Karuppusamy, R, Lam, M, Lazaridis, K, Lazarus, P, Lee, K, Levin, L, Liu, K, Lyne, A, Mckee, J, Mclaughlin, M, Osłowski, S, Pennucci, T, Perrodin, D, Possenti, A, Sanidas, S, Shaifullah, G, Smits, R, Stovall, K, Swiggum, J, Theureau, G, Tiburzi, C, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Observatoire de Paris, and PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)
Subjects: General relativity, [ PHYS.ASTR ] Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph], Astronomy, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, Lorentz covariance, 01 natural sciences, Binary pulsar, Gravitation, stars: neutron, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology, Pulsar, Gravitational field, 0103 physical sciences, pulsars: individual (PSR J1713+0747), 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Physics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), [SDU.ASTR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph], 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Gravitational constant, European Pulsar Timing Array, binaries: general, Space and Planetary Science, [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics], gravitation, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, [PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]
Abstract: Symmetries play an important role in modern theories of gravity. The strong equivalence principle (SEP) constitutes a collection of gravitational symmetries which are all implemented by general relativity. Alternative theories, however, are generally expected to violate some aspects of SEP. We test three aspects of SEP using observed change rates in the orbital period and eccentricity of binary pulsar J1713+0747: 1. the gravitational constant's constancy as part of locational invariance of gravitation; 2. the post-Newtonian parameter $\hat{\alpha}_3$ in gravitational Lorentz invariance; 3. the universality of free fall (UFF) for strongly self-gravitating bodies. Based on the pulsar timing result of the combined dataset from the North American Nanohertz Gravitational Observatory (NANOGrav) and the European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA), we find $\dot{G}/G = (-0.1 \pm 0.9) \times 10^{-12}\,{\rm yr}^{-1}$, which is weaker than Solar system limits, but applies for strongly self-gravitating objects. Furthermore, we obtain the constraints $|\Delta|< 0.002$ for the UFF test and $-3\times10^{-20} < \hat{\alpha}_3 < 4\times10^{-20}$ at 95% confidence. These are the first direct UFF and $\hat{\alpha}_3$ tests based on pulsar binaries, and they overcome various limitations of previous tests., Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, and 1 table; submitted to MNRAS
Published: 2019
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34. A detailed study of giant pulses from PSR B1937+21 using the Large European Array for Pulsars

Author: Si Chen, Michael Kramer, J. W. McKee, Delphine Perrodin, Benjamin Stappers, M. Gaikwad, Gemma H. Janssen, Weiwei Zhu, C. G. Bassa, Kejia Lee, Long Wang, Kang Liu, S. A. Sanidas, Ramesh Karuppusamy, Ismaël Cognard, R. Smits, Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO), ITA, GBR, FRA, DEU, NLD, and CHN
Subjects: FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Power law, stars: neutron, Time of arrival, Pulsar, Millisecond pulsar, stars: rotation, pulsars: general, 0103 physical sciences, structure, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, pulsar, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, polarization, [SDU.ASTR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph], 010308 nuclear & particles physics, business.industry, Astronomy and Astrophysics, radiation mechanisms: non-thermal, Polarization (waves), Fractional polarization, Interstellar medium, modulation, pulsars: individual (PSR J1939+2134), Space and Planetary Science, [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics], correlation, fractional, Global Positioning System, pulsars: individual (PSR B1937+21), Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, business, [PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]
Abstract: We have studied 4265 giant pulses (GPs) from the millisecond pulsar B1937+21; the largest-ever sample gathered for this pulsar, in observations made with the Large European Array for Pulsars. The pulse energy distribution of GPs associated with the interpulse are well-described by a power law, with index $\alpha = -3.99 \pm 0.04$, while those associated with the main pulse are best-described by a broken power law, with the break occurring at $\sim7$ Jy $\mu$s, with power law indices $\alpha_{\text{low}} = -3.48 \pm 0.04$ and $\alpha_{\text{high}} = -2.10 \pm 0.09$. The modulation indices of the GP emission are measured, which are found to vary by $\sim0.5$ at pulse phases close to the centre of the GP phase distributions. We find the frequency-resolved structure of GPs to vary significantly, and in a manner that cannot be attributed to the interstellar medium influence on the observed pulses. We examine the distribution of polarisation fractions of the GPs and find no correlation between GP emission phase and fractional polarisation. We use the GPs to time PSR B1937+21 and although the achievable time of arrival precision of the GPs is approximately a factor of two greater than that of the average pulse profile, there is a negligible difference in the precision of the overall timing solution when using the GPs., Comment: 20 pages, 21 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in MNRAS
Published: 2019
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35. Scattering features and variability of the Crab pulsar

Author: C. G. Bassa, Benjamin Stappers, Daniel R. Stinebring, Gemma H. Janssen, and Laura Driessen
Subjects: Astronomy, Gaussian, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Phase (waves), FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, Expected value, 01 natural sciences, Radio telescope, symbols.namesake, 0103 physical sciences, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Scaling, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, interstellar medium, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Crab Pulsar, Scattering, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pulse (physics), Space and Planetary Science, Crab pulsar, symbols, pulsars, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: We report on Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope observations of the Crab pulsar at 350 MHz from 2012 November 24 until 2015 June 21. During this period we consistently observe variations in the pulse profile of the Crab. Both variations in the scattering width of the pulse profile as well as delayed copies, also known as echoes, are seen regularly. These observations support the classification of two types of echoes: those that follow the truncated exponential shape expected for the thin-screen scattering approximation, and echoes that show a smoother, more Gaussian shape. During a sequence of high-cadence observations in 2015, we find that these non-exponential echoes evolve in time by approaching the main pulse and interpulse in phase, overlapping the main pulse and interpulse, and later receding. We find a pulse scatter-broadening time scale, $\tau$, scaling with frequency as $\nu^{\alpha}$, with $\alpha=-3.9\pm0.5$, which is consistent with expected values for thin-screen scattering models, Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures
Published: 2018

36. Single-pulse classifier for the LOFAR Tied-Array All-sky Survey

Author: C. M. Tan, C. G. Bassa, Jason W. T. Hessels, Sotirios A. Sanidas, J. van Leeuwen, S. Cooper, V. I. Kondratiev, Benjamin Stappers, Robert Lyon, Daniele Michilli, and High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI)
Subjects: statistical [Methods], media_common.quotation_subject, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Surveys, 01 natural sciences, general [pulsars], Electromagnetic interference, law.invention, Telescope, Software, Pulsar, law, 0103 physical sciences, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), Remote sensing, media_common, Physics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), 010308 nuclear & particles physics, business.industry, Fast radio burst, Software development, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, LOFAR, Data analysis [Methods], Space and Planetary Science, Sky, business, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: Searches for millisecond-duration, dispersed single pulses have become a standard tool used during radio pulsar surveys in the last decade. They have enabled the discovery of two new classes of sources: rotating radio transients and fast radio bursts. However, we are now in a regime where the sensitivity to single pulses in radio surveys is often limited more by the strong background of radio frequency interference (RFI, which can greatly increase the false-positive rate) than by the sensitivity of the telescope itself. To mitigate this problem, we introduce the Single-pulse Searcher (SpS). This is a new machine-learning classifier designed to identify astrophysical signals in a strong RFI environment, and optimized to process the large data volumes produced by the new generation of aperture array telescopes. It has been specifically developed for the LOFAR Tied-Array All-Sky Survey (LOTAAS), an ongoing survey for pulsars and fast radio transients in the northern hemisphere. During its development, SpS discovered 7 new pulsars and blindly identified ~80 known sources. The modular design of the software offers the possibility to easily adapt it to other studies with different instruments and characteristics. Indeed, SpS has already been used in other projects, e.g. to identify pulses from the fast radio burst source FRB 121102. The software development is complete and SpS is now being used to re-process all LOTAAS data collected to date., Comment: Accepted in MNRAS
Published: 2018
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37. Temporal variations in scattering and dispersion measure in the Crab Pulsar and their effect on timing precision

Author: Christine Jordan, Benjamin Stappers, C. G. Bassa, James Mckee, and Andrew Lyne
Subjects: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, Correlation coefficient, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Scattering, Crab Pulsar, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Jodrell Bank Observatory, 01 natural sciences, Computational physics, Crab Nebula, Pulsar, Space and Planetary Science, Angular diameter, 0103 physical sciences, Dispersion (optics), Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics
Abstract: We have measured variations in scattering time scales in the Crab Pulsar over a 30-year period, using observations made at 610 MHz with the 42-ft telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory. Over more recent years, where regular Lovell Telescope observations at frequencies around 1400 MHz were available, we have also determined the dispersion measure variations, after disentangling the scattering delay from the dispersive delay. We demonstrate a relationship between scattering and dispersion measure variations, with a correlation coefficient of $0.56\pm0.01$. The short time scales over which these quantities vary, the size of the variations, and the close correlation between scattering and dispersion measure all suggest that the effects are due to discrete structures within the Crab Nebula, with size scales of $\sim6$ AU (corresponding to an angular size of $\sim2$ mas at an assumed distance of 2200 pc). We mitigate the effects of scattering on the observed pulse shape by using the measured scattering information to modify the template used for generating the pulse arrival times, thus improving the precision to which the pulsar can be timed. We test this on timing data taken during periods of high scattering, and obtain a factor of two improvement in the root mean square of the timing residuals., 10 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS
Published: 2018
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38. A Long-term study of three rotating radio transients

Author: Benjamin Stappers, Christine Jordan, Maura McLaughlin, Patrick Weltevrede, Bhaswati Bhattacharyya, Evan Keane, C. G. Bassa, Andrew Lyne, and Michael Kramer
Subjects: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Pulse (signal processing), FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Glitch, Term (time), Long term learning, Pulsar, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science, 0103 physical sciences, Detection rate, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR), Order of magnitude, High magnetic field
Abstract: We present the longest-term timing study so far of three Rotating Radio Transients (RRATs) - J1819-1458, J1840-1419 and J1913+1330 - performed using the Lovell, Parkes and Green Bank telescopes over the past decade. We study long-term and short- term variations of the pulse emission rate from these RRATs and report a marginal indication of a long-term increase in pulse detection rate over time for PSR J1819-1458 and J1913+1330. For PSR J1913+1330, we also observe a two orders of magnitude variation in the observed pulse detection rates across individual epochs, which may constrain the models explaining the origin of RRAT pulses. PSR J1913+1330 is also observed to exhibit a weak persistent emission mode. We investigate the post-glitch timing properties of J1819-1458 (the only RRAT for which glitches are observed) and discuss the implications for possible glitch models. Its post-glitch over-recovery of the frequency derivative is magnetar-like and similar behaviour is only observed for two other pulsars, both of which have relatively high magnetic field strengths. Following the over-recovery we also observe that some fraction of the pre-glitch frequency derivative is gradually recovered., 15 pages, 13 figures, 4 tables, Minor changes in text, Accepted for publication in MNRAS
Published: 2018

39. From spin noise to systematics: stochastic processes in the first International Pulsar Timing Array data release

Author: R. van Haasteren, Scott M. Ransom, S. Babak, Antoine Petiteau, Paul Demorest, L. Toomey, Gemma H. Janssen, Alberto Sesana, Marjorie Gonzalez, Sourav Chatterjee, A. Lassus, Ryan Shannon, Justin A. Ellis, Glenn Jones, E. Graikou, J. W. McKee, Kang Liu, Kejia Lee, Matthew Kerr, Sarah Burke-Spolaor, William A. Coles, Maura McLaughlin, G. Shaifullah, Stephen Taylor, Weiwei Zhu, P. Lazarus, S. A. Sanidas, D. J. Champion, Delphine Perrodin, R. N. Caballero, Kevin Stovall, Joris P. W. Verbiest, Benetge Perera, Richard N. Manchester, C. G. Bassa, Emmanuel Fonseca, Jonathan R. Gair, George Hobbs, D. R. Madison, R. Smits, Alberto Vecchio, Daniel R. Stinebring, Michael T. Lam, Daniel J. Reardon, X. P. You, Zaven Arzoumanian, Paul D. Lasky, Yue-Fei Wang, Lucas Guillemot, R. S. Lynch, Pablo Rosado, Lina Levin, Xing-Jiang Zhu, Chiara M. F. Mingarelli, L. Lentati, Benjamin Stappers, A. Possenti, T. J. W. Lazio, Robert D. Ferdman, Stefan Oslowski, J. K. Swiggum, X. Siemens, Gregory Desvignes, Gilles Theureau, Ramesh Karuppusamy, Ismaël Cognard, M. Burgay, Timothy T. Pennucci, Michele Vallisneri, J. B. Wang, James M. Cordes, Sean T. McWilliams, David J. Nice, P. Brem, W. van Straten, Caterina Tiburzi, N. D. R. Bhat, Shi Dai, Jason W. T. Hessels, Ingrid H. Stairs, Timothy Dolch, Michael Kramer, Michael Keith, Lentati, L, Shannon, R, Coles, W, Verbiest, J, van Haasteren, R, Ellis, J, Caballero, R, Manchester, R, Arzoumanian, Z, Babak, S, Bassa, C, Bhat, N, Brem, P, Burgay, M, Burke-Spolaor, S, Champion, D, Chatterjee, S, Cognard, I, Cordes, J, Dai, S, Demorest, P, Desvignes, G, Dolch, T, Ferdman, R, Fonseca, E, Gair, J, Gonzalez, M, Graikou, E, Guillemot, L, Hessels, J, Hobbs, G, Janssen, G, Jones, G, Karuppusamy, R, Keith, M, Kerr, M, Kramer, M, Lam, M, Lasky, P, Lassus, A, Lazarus, P, Lazio, T, Lee, K, Levin, L, Liu, K, Lynch, R, Madison, D, Mckee, J, Mclaughlin, M, Mcwilliams, S, Mingarelli, C, Nice, D, Osłowski, S, Pennucci, T, Perera, B, Perrodin, D, Petiteau, A, Possenti, A, Ransom, S, Reardon, D, Rosado, P, Sanidas, S, Sesana, A, Shaifullah, G, Siemens, X, Smits, R, Stairs, I, Stappers, B, Stinebring, D, Stovall, K, Swiggum, J, Taylor, S, Theureau, G, Tiburzi, C, Toomey, L, Vallisneri, M, van Straten, W, Vecchio, A, Wang, J, Wang, Y, You, X, Zhu, W, Zhu, X, High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge [UK] (CAM), CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation [Canberra] (CSIRO), University of California, University of California (UC), Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA-California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), Curtin University [Perth], Planning and Transport Research Centre (PATREC), INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari (OAC), Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), Center for Radiophysics and Space Research [Ithaca] (CRSR), Cornell University [New York], Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Department of Astronomy [Ithaca], Department of Physics, Hillsdale College, Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver Coastal Health, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy ( ASTRON ), ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (CoralCoE), James Cook University (JCU), Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester [Manchester], Vrije Universiteit Medical Centre (VUMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam [Amsterdam] (VU), Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics [Beijing] (KIAA-PKU), Peking University [Beijing], National Radio Astronomy Observatory [Green Bank] (NRAO), Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics (JBCA), Department of Physics, West Virginia University, West Virginia University, Theoretical Astrophysics [Pasadena] (TAPIR), California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Physics Department, Lafayette College, Lafayette College [Easton], Department of Astronomy [Charlottesville], University of Virginia, APC - Gravitation (APC-Gravitation), AstroParticule et Cosmologie (APC (UMR_7164)), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft-Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Laboratoire de glaciologie et géophysique de l'environnement (LGGE), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG ), Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing [Swinburne] (CAS), Swinburne University of Technology [Melbourne], Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam [Amsterdam] (UvA), University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy [Oberlin], Oberlin College, Institute of Meteoritics [Albuquerque] (IOM), The University of New Mexico [Albuquerque], Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University, West Virginia University [Morgantown], Birmingham City University (BCU), Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences [Beijing] (CAS), Huazhong University of Science and Technology [Wuhan] (HUST), School of Physical Science and Technology, Southwest University [Chongqing], Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP140102578NASA through Einstein Fellowship grant PF3-140116West Light Foundation of CAS XBBS201322 and NSFC project no.11403086National Science Fundation of China (NSFC) award number 11503007NNSF of China (U1231120) and FRFCU (XDJK2015B012), European Project: 337062,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-StG,DRAGNET(2014), European Project: 227947,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2008-AdG,LEAP(2009), European Project: 610058,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-SyG,BLACKHOLECAM(2014), Cornell University, Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy [Pasadena], California Institute of Technology (CALTECH)-California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), California Institute of Technology (CALTECH)-NASA, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO), University of Virginia [Charlottesville], Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, and Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI)
Subjects: Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, data analysis, pulsars: general [methods], FOS: Physical sciences, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc), Methods: Data analysi, Astrophysics, Astronomy & Astrophysics, general [pulsars], 01 natural sciences, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology, pulsars:individual, Binary pulsar, Pulsar, 0103 physical sciences, data analysis [methods], Coherence (signal processing), Sensitivity (control systems), Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR), High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Stochastic process, Noise (signal processing), Model selection, Pulsars: General, Astronomy and Astrophysics, methods: data analysis, LIGO, Computational physics, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics], 13. Climate action, Space and Planetary Science, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astronomical and Space Sciences
Abstract: We analyse the stochastic properties of the 49 pulsars that comprise the first International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA) data release. We use Bayesian methodology, performing model selection to determine the optimal description of the stochastic signals present in each pulsar. In addition to spin-noise and dispersion-measure (DM) variations, these models can include timing noise unique to a single observing system, or frequency band. We show the improved radio-frequency coverage and presence of overlapping data from different observing systems in the IPTA data set enables us to separate both system and band-dependent effects with much greater efficacy than in the individual PTA data sets. For example, we show that PSR J1643$-$1224 has, in addition to DM variations, significant band-dependent noise that is coherent between PTAs which we interpret as coming from time-variable scattering or refraction in the ionised interstellar medium. Failing to model these different contributions appropriately can dramatically alter the astrophysical interpretation of the stochastic signals observed in the residuals. In some cases, the spectral exponent of the spin noise signal can vary from 1.6 to 4 depending upon the model, which has direct implications for the long-term sensitivity of the pulsar to a stochastic gravitational-wave (GW) background. By using a more appropriate model, however, we can greatly improve a pulsar's sensitivity to GWs. For example, including system and band-dependent signals in the PSR J0437$-$4715 data set improves the upper limit on a fiducial GW background by $\sim 60\%$ compared to a model that includes DM variations and spin-noise only., Comment: 29 pages. 16 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS
Published: 2016
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40. The International Pulsar Timing Array: First data release

Author: Lucas Guillemot, Sourav Chatterjee, N. Garver-Daniels, D. R. Madison, Scott M. Ransom, J. K. Swiggum, Daniel R. Stinebring, Delphine Perrodin, Ingrid H. Stairs, Alberto Vecchio, Timothy Dolch, X. Siemens, Gregory Desvignes, Antoine Petiteau, Gilles Theureau, W. van Straten, J. B. Wang, X. P. You, Jason W. T. Hessels, Renée Spiewak, R. N. Caballero, Alberto Sesana, Stefan Oslowski, R. S. Lynch, Xing-Jiang Zhu, C. G. Bassa, Emmanuel Fonseca, Daniel J. Reardon, Yue-Fei Wang, Chiara M. F. Mingarelli, Benjamin Stappers, Kejia Lee, Stanislav Babak, Benetge Perera, Pablo Rosado, Zaven Arzoumanian, Richard N. Manchester, Paul Demorest, A. Brazier, Jonathan R. Gair, R. van Haasteren, Nipuni Palliyaguru, Lina Levin, R. Smits, Joseph Simon, P. Brem, Michele Vallisneri, Michael Kramer, James M. Cordes, Andrew Lyne, L. Lentati, Weiwei Zhu, Matthew Kerr, Peter A. Gentile, Michael Keith, A. Possenti, D. J. Champion, Caterina Tiburzi, T. J. W. Lazio, N. D. R. Bhat, A. Lassus, Stephen Taylor, Linqing Wen, Ryan Shannon, Glenn Jones, Shi Dai, E. Graikou, Gemma H. Janssen, S. J. Chamberlin, Kevin Stovall, Kang Liu, P. Lazarus, Ramesh Karuppusamy, S. A. Sanidas, Ismaël Cognard, George Hobbs, Robert D. Ferdman, Timothy T. Pennucci, M. Burgay, Sean T. McWilliams, David J. Nice, B. Christy, G. Shaifullah, L. Toomey, Justin A. Ellis, J. W. McKee, Maura McLaughlin, Paul D. Lasky, Michael T. Lam, Sarah Burke-Spolaor, Joris P. W. Verbiest, Marjorie Gonzalez, High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), Verbiest, J, Lentati, L, Hobbs, G, van Haasteren, R, Demorest, P, Janssen, G, Wang, J, Desvignes, G, Caballero, R, Keith, M, Champion, D, Arzoumanian, Z, Babak, S, Bassa, C, Bhat, N, Brazier, A, Brem, P, Burgay, M, Burke-Spolaor, S, Chamberlin, S, Chatterjee, S, Christy, B, Cognard, I, Cordes, J, Dai, S, Dolch, T, Ellis, J, Ferdman, R, Fonseca, E, Gair, J, Garver-Daniels, N, Gentile, P, Gonzalez, M, Graikou, E, Guillemot, L, Hessels, J, Jones, G, Karuppusamy, R, Kerr, M, Kramer, M, Lam, M, Lasky, P, Lassus, A, Lazarus, P, Lazio, T, Lee, K, Levin, L, Liu, K, Lynch, R, Lyne, A, Mckee, J, Mclaughlin, M, Mcwilliams, S, Madison, D, Manchester, R, Mingarelli, C, Nice, D, Osłowski, S, Palliyaguru, N, Pennucci, T, Perera, B, Perrodin, D, Possenti, A, Petiteau, A, Ransom, S, Reardon, D, Rosado, P, Sanidas, S, Sesana, A, Shaifullah, G, Shannon, R, Siemens, X, Simon, J, Smits, R, Spiewak, R, Stairs, I, Stappers, B, Stinebring, D, Stovall, K, Swiggum, J, Taylor, S, Theureau, G, Tiburzi, C, Toomey, L, Vallisneri, M, van Straten, W, Vecchio, A, Wang, Y, Wen, L, You, X, Zhu, W, Zhu, X, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR), Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge [UK] (CAM), CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation [Canberra] (CSIRO), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA-California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), National Radio Astronomy Observatory [Socorro] (NRAO), National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences [Beijing] (CAS), Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester [Manchester], NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Curtin University [Perth], Planning and Transport Research Centre (PATREC), Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science (CCAPS), Cornell University [New York], INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari (OAC), Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), Penn State System, Center for Radiophysics and Space Research [Ithaca] (CRSR), University of Maryland [College Park], University of Maryland System, Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO), Department of Astronomy [Ithaca], Department of Physics, Hillsdale College, University of British Columbia (UBC), University of Edinburgh, Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University, West Virginia University [Morgantown], Vancouver Coastal Health, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Physics, Columbia University, Columbia University [New York], Monash Centre for Astrophysics (MoCA), Monash University [Clayton], Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics [Beijing] (KIAA-PKU), Peking University [Beijing], National Radio Astronomy Observatory [Green Bank] (NRAO), Theoretical Astrophysics [Pasadena] (TAPIR), Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy [Pasadena], California Institute of Technology (CALTECH)-California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Physics Department, Lafayette College, Lafayette College [Easton], Physics Department, Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University [Lubbock] (TTU), Department of Astronomy [Charlottesville], University of Virginia [Charlottesville], APC - Gravitation (APC-Gravitation), AstroParticule et Cosmologie (APC (UMR_7164)), Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft-Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing [Swinburne] (CAS), Swinburne University of Technology [Melbourne], Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam [Amsterdam] (UvA), University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Center for Gravitation, Cosmology and Astrophysics, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy ( ASTRON ), Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy [Oberlin], Oberlin College, Department of Physics and Astronomy [Albuquerque], The University of New Mexico [Albuquerque], Birmingham City University (BCU), School of Physics [HUST], Huazhong University of Science and Technology [Wuhan] (HUST), School of Physics (University of Western Australia), Université, School of Physical Science and Technology, Southwest University [Chongqing], European Project: 337062,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-StG,DRAGNET(2014), Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Cavendish Laboratory - University of Cambridge, University of Cambridge [UK] ( CAM ), CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, PO BOX 76, NSW 1710, Australia, Jet Propulsion Laboratory ( JPL ), NASA-California Institute of Technology ( CALTECH ), National Radio Astronomy Observatory [Socorro] ( NRAO ), National Radio Astronomy Observatory ( NRAO ), Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, Chinese Academy of Sciences [Beijing] ( CAS ), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center ( GSFC ), Albert Einstein Institute, Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik, Curtin University, Perth, Australia, Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science ( CCAPS ), Cornell University, MPI for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute), INAF-Osservatorio di Cagliari, PennState University [Pennsylvania] ( PSU ), Center for Radiophysics and Space Research [Ithaca] ( CRSR ), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace ( LPC2E ), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers ( INSU - CNRS ) -Université d'Orléans ( UO ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay ( USN ), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers ( INSU - CNRS ) -Observatoire de Paris-Université d'Orléans ( UO ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ), University of British Columbia ( UBC ), University of Edimburgh, Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, National Radio Astronomy Observatory [Green Bank] ( NRAO ), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation [Canberra] ( CSIRO ), TAPIR (Theoretical Astrophysics), California Institute of Technology, Texas Tech University [Lubbock] ( TTU ), Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Ist Nazl Astrofis, Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, APC - Gravitation ( APC-Gravitation ), AstroParticule et Cosmologie ( APC - UMR 7164 ), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ) -Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS ( IN2P3 ) -Observatoire de Paris-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 ( UPD7 ) -Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives ( CEA ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ) -Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS ( IN2P3 ) -Observatoire de Paris-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 ( UPD7 ) -Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives ( CEA ) -Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik (Albert-Einstein-Institut), Max-Planck-Institut-Max-Planck-Institut, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing [Swinburne] ( CAS ), Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Max Planck Institut für Gravitationsphysik, Albert Einstein Institut, Physics and Astronomy Department [Oberlin], Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy, The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, Birmingham City University ( BCU ), School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, School of Physics ( University of Western Australia ), European Project : 337062,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-StG,DRAGNET ( 2014 ), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), University of Virginia, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Observatoire de Paris, and PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI)
Subjects: data analysis, data analysis, pulsars: general [methods], FOS: Physical sciences, Methods: Data analysi, general [pulsars], 01 natural sciences, 7. Clean energy, Set (abstract data type), Pulsar timing array, Pulsar, 0103 physical sciences, data analysis [methods], Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, instrumentation, Physics, [SDU.ASTR.SR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Solar and Stellar Astrophysics [astro-ph.SR], 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Gravitational wave, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Pulsars: General, Astronomy, Astronomy and Astrophysics, methods: data analysis, Data set, European Pulsar Timing Array, Neutron star, gravitational waves, Space and Planetary Science, pulsars, Measurement uncertainty, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, [ SDU.ASTR.SR ] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Solar and Stellar Astrophysics [astro-ph.SR], Algorithm, astro-ph.IM
Abstract: The highly stable spin of neutron stars can be exploited for a variety of (astro-)physical investigations. In particular arrays of pulsars with rotational periods of the order of milliseconds can be used to detect correlated signals such as those caused by gravitational waves. Three such "Pulsar Timing Arrays" (PTAs) have been set up around the world over the past decades and collectively form the "International" PTA (IPTA). In this paper, we describe the first joint analysis of the data from the three regional PTAs, i.e. of the first IPTA data set. We describe the available PTA data, the approach presently followed for its combination and suggest improvements for future PTA research. Particular attention is paid to subtle details (such as underestimation of measurement uncertainty and long-period noise) that have often been ignored but which become important in this unprecedentedly large and inhomogeneous data set. We identify and describe in detail several factors that complicate IPTA research and provide recommendations for future pulsar timing efforts. The first IPTA data release presented here (and available online) is used to demonstrate the IPTA's potential of improving upon gravitational-wave limits placed by individual PTAs by a factor of ~2 and provides a 2-sigma limit on the dimensionless amplitude of a stochastic GWB of 1.7x10^{-15} at a frequency of 1 yr^{-1}. This is 1.7 times less constraining than the limit placed by (Shannon et al. 2015), due mostly to the more recent, high-quality data they used., 25 pages, 6 tables, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS
Published: 2016
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41. The host galaxy of a fast radio burst

Author: Mansi M. Kasliwal, Andrew Jameson, Tsuyoshi Terai, Naoki Yasuda, N. D. R. Bhat, Andrew Williams, Poonam Chandra, Ralph Eatough, W. van Straten, Delphine Perrodin, Yuu Niino, E. D. Barr, Matthew Bailes, Steven Tingay, M. Burgay, M. Caleb, Tomoki Morokuma, Hajime Sugai, Evan Keane, Jacob E. Jencson, Ben Stappers, Shotaro Yamasaki, Takashi Hattori, A. Possenti, Mitchell B. Mickaliger, Randall B. Wayth, Michael Kramer, Jeff Cooke, M. Berezina, Mareki Honma, Tomonori Totani, C. G. Bassa, R. Allen, David L. Kaplan, Shivani Bhandari, Nozomu Tominaga, Simon Johnston, Hisanori Furusawa, E. Petroff, Sarah Burke-Spolaor, and Chris Flynn
Subjects: Physics, Multidisciplinary, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Radio galaxy, Fast radio burst, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment, Astronomy, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Astrophysics, Redshift survey, 01 natural sciences, Redshift, Galaxy, Interstellar medium, X-shaped radio galaxy, 0103 physical sciences, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics
Abstract: In recent years, millisecond-duration radio signals originating in distant galaxies appear to have been discovered in the so-called fast radio bursts. These signals are dispersed according to a precise physical law and this dispersion is a key observable quantity, which, in tandem with a redshift measurement, can be used for fundamental physical investigations. Every fast radio burst has a dispersion measurement, but none before now have had a redshift measurement, because of the difficulty in pinpointing their celestial coordinates. Here we report the discovery of a fast radio burst and the identification of a fading radio transient lasting ~6 days after the event, which we use to identify the host galaxy; we measure the galaxy’s redshift to be z = 0.492 ± 0.008. The dispersion measure and redshift, in combination, provide a direct measurement of the cosmic density of ionized baryons in the intergalactic medium of ΩIGM = 4.9 ± 1.3 per cent, in agreement with the expectation from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, and including all of the so-called ‘missing baryons’. The ~6-day radio transient is largely consistent with the radio afterglow of a short γ-ray burst, and its existence and timescale do not support progenitor models such as giant pulses from pulsars, and supernovae. This contrasts with the interpretation of another recently discovered fast radio burst, suggesting that there are at least two classes of bursts.
Published: 2016
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42. The Low-Frequency Radio Eclipses of the Black Widow Pulsar J1810+1744

Author: J. W. Broderick, Rene P. Breton, Jason W. T. Hessels, V. I. Kondratiev, Benjamin Stappers, A. O. Clarke, C. G. Bassa, Patrick Weltevrede, Charlotte Sobey, S. ter Veen, J. van Leeuwen, E. J. Polzin, J.-M. Grießmeier, Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace ( LPC2E ), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ) -Université d'Orléans ( UO ) -Institut national des sciences de l'Univers ( INSU - CNRS ), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay ( USN ), and Institut national des sciences de l'Univers ( INSU - CNRS ) -Observatoire de Paris-Université d'Orléans ( UO ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS )
Subjects: [ PHYS.ASTR ] Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph], Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Flux, FOS: Physical sciences, Context (language use), Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Radio telescope, Pulsar, 0103 physical sciences, Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, pulsars: individual: PSR J1810+1744, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, astro-ph.HE, Physics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Scattering, scattering, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, binaries: eclipsing, Astronomy and Astrophysics, LOFAR, Orbital period, plasmas, Space and Planetary Science, [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics], Orbital motion, Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, [PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph], Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, stars: mass-loss
Abstract: We have observed and analysed the eclipses of the black widow pulsar J1810+1744 at low radio frequencies. Using LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR) and Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope observations between 2011--2015 we have measured variations in flux density, dispersion measure and scattering around eclipses. High-time-resolution, simultaneous beamformed and interferometric imaging LOFAR observations show concurrent disappearance of pulsations and total flux from the source during the eclipses, with a $3��$ upper limit of 36 mJy ($, 15 pages, 9 figures
Published: 2018
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43. High precision pulsar timing and spin frequency second derivatives

Author: Benjamin Stappers, X. J. Liu, and C. G. Bassa
Subjects: Physics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Proper motion, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Absolute value, Astrophysics, White noise, general [pulsars], 01 natural sciences, Time, Radial velocity, individual: J04374715, J10240719, J19093744, B1937+21 [pulsars], Pulsar, Space and Planetary Science, 0103 physical sciences, data analysis [methods], Measurement uncertainty, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Second derivative, Spin-½
Abstract: We investigate the impact of intrinsic, kinematic and gravitational effects on high precision pulsar timing. We present an analytical derivation and a numerical computation of the impact of these effects on the first and second derivative of the pulsar spin frequency. In addition, in the presence of white noise, we derive an expression to determine the expected measurement uncertainty of a second derivative of the spin frequency for a given timing precision, observing cadence and timing baseline and find that it strongly depends on the latter ($\propto t^{-7/2}$). We show that for pulsars with significant proper motion, the spin frequency second derivative is dominated by a term dependent on the radial velocity of the pulsar. Considering the data sets from three Pulsar Timing Arrays, we find that for PSR J0437$-$4715 a detectable spin frequency second derivative will be present if the absolute value of the radial velocity exceeds 33 km s$^{-1}$. Similarly, at the current timing precision and cadence, continued timing observations of PSR J1909$-$3744 for about another eleven years, will allow the measurement of its frequency second derivative and determine the radial velocity with an accuracy better than 14 km s$^{-1}$. With the ever increasing timing precision and observing baselines, the impact of the, largely unknown, radial velocities of pulsars on high precision pulsar timing can not be neglected., Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure, accepted by MNRAS
Published: 2018
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44. An extreme magneto-ionic environment associated with the fast radio burst source FRB 121102

Author: George Heald, F. Fernandez, Laura Spitler, Elizabeth A. K. Adams, Daniele Michilli, Robert Wharton, Casey Brinkman, P. J. Van Rooy, Geoffrey C. Bower, Vishal Gajjar, Gregory Hellbourg, Charlotte Sobey, Benito Marcote, T. J. W. Lazio, Casey J. Law, D. Whitlow, A. Seymour, Shriharsh P. Tendulkar, Scott M. Ransom, C. G. Bassa, V. M. Kaspi, Andrew Siemion, Maura McLaughlin, R. S. Lynch, James M. Cordes, Paul Demorest, K. Gourdji, Zsolt Paragi, Jason W. T. Hessels, Anne M. Archibald, Shami Chatterjee, Natasha Maddox, P. Scholz, Slavko Bogdanov, High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), API Other Research (FNWI), and Astronomy
Subjects: POLARIZATION, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astronomy, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, SAGITTARIUS-A-ASTERISK, 0103 physical sciences, Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Supernova remnant, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics, Physics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Nebula, Multidisciplinary, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Fast radio burst, Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment, FARADAY-ROTATION, FIELDS, Redshift, Black hole, CRAB-NEBULA, Neutron star, Crab Nebula, GAMMA-RAY, HOST GALAXY, SUPERNOVA REMNANT, BLACK-HOLE, X-RAY, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration, extragalactic radio flashes of unknown physical origin. FRB 121102, the only known repeating FRB source, has been localized to a star-forming region in a dwarf galaxy at redshift z = 0.193, and is spatially coincident with a compact, persistent radio source. The origin of the bursts, the nature of the persistent source, and the properties of the local environment are still debated. Here we present bursts that show ~100% linearly polarized emission at a very high and variable Faraday rotation measure in the source frame: RM_src = +1.46 x 10^5 rad m^-2 and +1.33 x 10^5 rad m^-2 at epochs separated by 7 months, in addition to narrow (< 30 mus) temporal structure. The large and variable rotation measure demonstrates that FRB 121102 is in an extreme and dynamic magneto-ionic environment, while the short burst durations argue for a neutron star origin. Such large rotation measures have, until now, only been observed in the vicinities of massive black holes (M_BH > 10^4 MSun). Indeed, the properties of the persistent radio source are compatible with those of a low-luminosity, accreting massive black hole. The bursts may thus come from a neutron star in such an environment. However, the observed properties may also be explainable in other models, such as a highly magnetized wind nebula or supernova remnant surrounding a young neutron star., Published in Nature: DOI: 10.1038/nature25149
Published: 2018

45. European Pulsar Timing Array limits on continuous gravitational waves from individual supermassive slack hole binaries

Author: Alberto Vecchio, S. Sanidas, Jonathan R. Gair, R. van Haasteren, L. Lentati, P. Lazarus, A. Possenti, R. N. Caballero, C. G. Bassa, Antoine Petiteau, S. Babak, Gregory Desvignes, Stephen Taylor, Gilles Theureau, R. Smits, Jason W. T. Hessels, Pablo Rosado, Michael Kramer, A. Lassus, D. J. Champion, Chiara M. F. Mingarelli, Benjamin Stappers, Gemma H. Janssen, Alberto Sesana, M. B. Purver, Lucas Guillemot, P. Brem, M. Burgay, Caterina Tiburzi, Stefan Oslowski, Kejia Lee, Joris P. W. Verbiest, Delphine Perrodin, Ramesh Karuppusamy, Ismaël Cognard, Kang Liu, Babak, S, Petiteau, A, Sesana, A, Brem, P, Rosado, P, Taylor, S, Lassus, A, Hessels, J, Bassa, C, Burgay, M, Caballero, R, Champion, D, Cognard, I, Desvignes, G, Gair, J, Guillemot, L, Janssen, G, Karuppusamy, R, Kramer, M, Lazarus, P, Lee, K, Lentati, L, Liu, K, Mingarelli, C, Oslowski, S, Perrodin, D, Possenti, A, Purver, M, Sanidas, S, Smits, R, Stappers, B, Theureau, G, Tiburzi, C, van Haasteren, R, Vecchio, A, Verbiest, J, Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, APC - Gravitation (APC-Gravitation), AstroParticule et Cosmologie (APC (UMR_7164)), Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft-Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Institute of Astronomy [Cambridge], University of Cambridge [UK] (CAM), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology (CALTECH)-NASA, Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari (OAC), Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO), Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester [Manchester], Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics [Beijing] (KIAA-PKU), Peking University [Beijing], Cavendish Laboratory, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy ( ASTRON ), Laboratoire Univers et Théories (LUTH (UMR_8102)), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7), Leiden Observatory [Leiden], Universiteit Leiden [Leiden], School of Physics and Astronomy [Birmingham], University of Birmingham [Birmingham], European Project: 337062,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-StG,DRAGNET(2014), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), NASA-California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universiteit Leiden, High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), Institute of Astronomy, Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Subjects: Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO), astro-ph.GA, gr-qc, Population, black hole physics, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc), 01 natural sciences, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology, Pulsar timing array, Black hole physic, Pulsar, 0103 physical sciences, education, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), Physics, education.field_of_study, Supermassive black hole, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Gravitational wave, [SDU.ASTR.SR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Solar and Stellar Astrophysics [astro-ph.SR], Astronomy, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies, European Pulsar Timing Array, Pulsars: general, Amplitude, gravitational waves, Space and Planetary Science, Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA), astro-ph.CO, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Noise (radio), Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics, astro-ph.IM
Abstract: We have searched for continuous gravitational wave (CGW) signals produced by individually resolvable, circular supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) in the latest EPTA dataset, which consists of ultra-precise timing data on 41 millisecond pulsars. We develop frequentist and Bayesian detection algorithms to search both for monochromatic and frequency-evolving systems. None of the adopted algorithms show evidence for the presence of such a CGW signal, indicating that the data are best described by pulsar and radiometer noise only. Depending on the adopted detection algorithm, the 95\% upper limit on the sky-averaged strain amplitude lies in the range $6\times 10^{-15}10^9$M$_\odot$ out to a distance of about 25Mpc, and with $\cal{M}_c>10^{10}$M$_\odot$ out to a distance of about 1Gpc ($z\approx0.2$). We show that state-of-the-art SMBHB population models predict $, Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS
Published: 2015
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46. The High Time Resolution Universe Pulsar Survey - XIII. PSR J1757-1854, the most accelerated binary pulsar

Author: Thomas M. Tauris, Michael Kramer, Paulo C. C. Freire, Duncan R. Lorimer, Caterina Tiburzi, A. D. Cameron, Matthew Bailes, Andrew Jameson, Benjamin Stappers, N. D. R. Bhat, Michael Keith, Lina Levin, Cherry Ng, Ramesh Karuppusamy, Ralph Eatough, Ewan Barr, Norbert Wex, Shivani Bhandari, Simon Johnston, Chris Flynn, D. J. Champion, Maura McLaughlin, A. Possenti, W. van Straten, C. G. Bassa, E. Petroff, Alessandro Ridolfi, M. Burgay, Sarah Burke-Spolaor, and Andrew Lyne
Subjects: astro-ph.SR, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Pulsar planet, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc), 01 natural sciences, Binary pulsar, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology, Gravitation, Pulsar, surveys, Millisecond pulsar, Tests of general relativity, 0103 physical sciences, 010306 general physics, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR), Physics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), astro-ph.HE, binaries: close, pulsars: individual: PSR, Astronomy, Astronomy and Astrophysics, J1757-1854, Neutron star, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science, gravitation, Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, Relativistic quantum chemistry, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: We report the discovery of PSR J1757$-$1854, a 21.5-ms pulsar in a highly-eccentric, 4.4-h orbit around a neutron star (NS) companion. PSR J1757$-$1854 exhibits some of the most extreme relativistic parameters of any known pulsar, including the strongest relativistic effects due to gravitational-wave (GW) damping, with a merger time of 76 Myr. Following a 1.6-yr timing campaign, we have measured five post-Keplerian (PK) parameters, yielding the two component masses ($m_\text{p}=1.3384(9)\,\text{M}_\odot$ and $m_\text{c}=1.3946(9)\,\text{M}_\odot$) plus three tests of general relativity (GR), which the theory passes. The larger mass of the NS companion provides important clues regarding the binary formation of PSR J1757$-$1854. With simulations suggesting 3-$\sigma$ measurements of both the contribution of Lense-Thirring precession to the rate of change of the semi-major axis and the relativistic deformation of the orbit within $\sim7-9$ years, PSR J1757$-$1854 stands out as a unique laboratory for new tests of gravitational theories., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables
Published: 2017
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47. Identification of 23 accreting binaries in the Galactic Bulge Survey

Author: Manuel A. P. Torres, Gijs Nelemans, Thomas J. Maccarone, Feryal Özel, C. B. Johnson, Sandra Greiss, C. T. Britt, C. G. Bassa, Danny Steeghs, Peter G. Jonker, and Robert I. Hynes
Subjects: close [binaries], Astronomy, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, black hole physics, Cataclysmic variable star, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Astrophysics, Compact star, neutron [stars], accretion, Bulge, Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Emission spectrum, Spectroscopy, Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics, Physics, White dwarf, radial velocities [techniques], Astronomy and Astrophysics, accretion discs, Accretion (astrophysics), Neutron star, 13. Climate action, Space and Planetary Science, ComputingMethodologies_DOCUMENTANDTEXTPROCESSING, binaries [X-rays], Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Abstract: We present the identification of optical counterparts to 23 GBS X-ray sources. All sources are classified as accreting binaries according to the emission-line characteristics inferred from medium-resolution spectroscopy. To distinguish accreting binaries from chromospherically active objects, we develop criteria based on Hα and He I λλ5786, 6678 emission-line properties available in the literature. The spectroscopic properties and photometric variability of each object is discussed and a classification is given where possible. At least 12 of the 23 systems show an accretion-dominated optical spectrum and another 6 show stellar absorption features in addition to emission lines indicating that they are probably accreting binaries in quiescence or in a low accretion rate state. Two sources are confirmed to be eclipsing: CX207 and CX794. CX207 is likely a magnetic cataclysmic variable (CV), while CX794 is a nova-like CV in the period gap. Finally, the large broadening (2100 km s-1 FWHM) of the Hα emission lines in CX446 and CX1004 suggests that they are also high-inclination or even eclipsing systems. Whether the compact object is a white dwarf in an eclipsing CV, a neutron star or a black hole in a high-inclination low-mass X-ray binary remains to be established. 27 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, submitted to MNRAS ispartof: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society vol:440 issue:1 pages:365-386 status: published
Published: 2014
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48. A strong magnetic field around the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Galaxy

Author: Ramesh Karuppusamy, Ismaël Cognard, Kejia Lee, C. G. Bassa, Norbert Wex, D. J. Champion, Paul Demorest, Heino Falcke, Geoffrey C. Bower, Bernd Klein, Andrew Lyne, Ralph Eatough, Michael Kramer, Ben Stappers, Paulo C. C. Freire, Andreas Brunthaler, Laura Spitler, Gregory Desvignes, A. Noutsos, Dominic Schnitzeler, Adam Deller, Evan Keane, Alexander Kraus, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR), Radboud university [Nijmegen], Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Vrije Universiteit Medical Centre (VUMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam [Amsterdam] (VU), University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, Cornell University [New York], Department of Astronomy [Berkeley], University of California [Berkeley], University of California-University of California, Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO), National Radio Astronomy Observatory [Socorro] (NRAO), National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester [Manchester], Région Centre - France, European Project: 279702,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2011-StG_20101014,BEACON(2011), European Project: 227947,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2008-AdG,LEAP(2009), European Project: 227610,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2008-AdG,LOFAR-AUGER(2009), Radboud University [Nijmegen], Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), University of California [Berkeley] (UC Berkeley), University of California (UC)-University of California (UC), and Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Subjects: Active galactic nucleus, Astronomy, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, astrophysical magnetic fields, X-ray astronomy, accretion, 0103 physical sciences, Galactic centre, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics, radioastronomy, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), galactic nuclei, Physics, Supermassive black hole, Multidisciplinary, synchrotron radiation, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Galactic Center, Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies, black holes, Black hole, astrophysical jets, Rotating black hole, Intermediate-mass black hole, Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA), ComputingMethodologies_DOCUMENTANDTEXTPROCESSING, pulsars, Stellar black hole, Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, [SDU.ASTR.GA]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Galactic Astrophysics [astro-ph.GA], Spin-flip, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Abstract: The centre of our Milky Way harbours the closest candidate for a supermassive black hole. The source is thought to be powered by radiatively inefficient accretion of gas from its environment. This form of accretion is a standard mode of energy supply for most galactic nuclei. X-ray measurements have already resolved a tenuous hot gas component from which it can be fed. However, the magnetization of the gas, a crucial parameter determining the structure of the accretion flow, remains unknown. Strong magnetic fields can influence the dynamics of the accretion, remove angular momentum from the infalling gas, expel matter through relativistic jets and lead to the observed synchrotron emission. Here we report multi-frequency measurements with several radio telescopes of a newly discovered pulsar close to the Galactic Centre and show that its unusually large Faraday rotation indicates a dynamically relevant magnetic field near the black hole. If this field is accreted down to the event horizon it provides enough magnetic flux to explain the observed emission from the black hole, from radio to X-rays., Comment: Advance online publication in Nature, 14/08/13
Published: 2013
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49. Erratum: Evidence for an intermediate-mass black hole in the globular cluster NGC 6624

Author: Lucas Guillemot, Benjamin Stappers, Michael Kramer, Ismaël Cognard, C. G. Bassa, Gregory Desvignes, Gilles Theureau, Benetge Perera, Andrew Lyne, Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics (JBCA), University of Manchester [Manchester], Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO), and Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR)
Subjects: Physics, pulsars: individual: PSR B1820–30A, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, black hole physics, Astronomy, Minimum mass, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics, Orbital mechanics, Table (information), 01 natural sciences, Black hole, stars: neutron, Distance measurement, Space and Planetary Science, Position (vector), Intermediate-mass black hole, Globular cluster, 0103 physical sciences, [SDU.ASTR.GA]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Galactic Astrophysics [astro-ph.GA], globular clusters: individual: NGC 6624, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics
Abstract: International audience; The paper ‘Evidence for an intermediate-mass black hole in the globular cluster NGC 6624’ was published in MNRAS, 468, 2114 (2017). When estimating the model-dependent minimum mass of the intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) of 60 000 M⊙ in Section 5, we used the separation of 0.15 pc for PSR J1823−3021C from the globular cluster centre, as given in Peuten et al. (2014, see table 2 therein). Unfortunately, this value is incorrect and the correct separation is 0.34 pc based on the position given in Table 1 (also see Lynch et al. 2012). This correct distance measurement changes the result presented in Fig. 9 in the published version, and the modified figure based on the positions given in Table 1 is appended here. Note that this does not affect any other results presented in the paper, in particular, the IMBH mass estimation obtained through orbital dynamics given in Section 4.
Published: 2017
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50. Long-term observations of the pulsars in 47 Tucanae: I. A study of four elusive binary systems

Author: Duncan R. Lorimer, Christine Jordan, Alessandro Ridolfi, Craig O. Heinke, M. van den Berg, Pablo Torne, C. G. Bassa, Michael Kramer, Paulo C. C. Freire, Andrew Lyne, N. D'Amico, R. N. Manchester, Fernando Camilo, John Sarkissian, and High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI)
Subjects: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Physics, Orbital elements, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, FOS: Physical sciences, Astronomy, Binary number, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics, Orbital period, 01 natural sciences, Binary pulsar, Radio telescope, Pulsar, Space and Planetary Science, Millisecond pulsar, Globular cluster, 0103 physical sciences, Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics
Abstract: For the past couple of decades, the Parkes radio telescope has been regularly observing the millisecond pulsars in 47 Tucanae (47 Tuc). This long-term timing program was designed to address a wide range of scientific issues related to these pulsars and the globular cluster where they are located. In this paper, the first of a series, we address one of these objectives: the characterization of four previously known binary pulsars for which no precise orbital parameters were known, namely 47 Tuc P, V, W and X (pulsars 47 Tuc R and Y are discussed elsewhere). We determined the previously unknown orbital parameters of 47 Tuc V and X and greatly improved those of 47 Tuc P and W. For pulsars W and X we obtained, for the first time, full coherent timing solutions across the whole data span, which allowed a much more detailed characterization of these systems. 47 Tuc W, a well-known tight eclipsing binary pulsar, exhibits a large orbital period variability, as expected for a system of its class. 47 Tuc X turns out to be in a wide, extremely circular, 10.9-day long binary orbit and its position is ~3.8 arcmin away from the cluster center, more than three times the distance of any other pulsar in 47 Tuc. These characteristics make 47 Tuc X a very different object with respect to the other pulsars of the cluster., Comment: Accepted for publication by MNRAS, 18 pages, 11 figures
Published: 2016

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