四种综合脉冲星时算法比较

由单颗脉冲星定义的脉冲星时受多种噪声源的影响,其短期和长期稳定度都不够好.为了削弱这些噪声源对单脉冲星时的影响,可以采取合适的算法对多个单脉冲星时进行综合得到综合脉冲星时,从而提高综合脉冲星时的长期稳定度.文中介绍4种综合脉冲星时算法:经典加权算法、小波分析算法、维纳滤波算法和小波域中的维纳滤波算法,将这4种算法分别应用于Arecibo天文台对两颗毫秒脉冲星PSR B1855+09和PSRB1937+21观测得到的计时残差并作出比较.     

基于双谱滤波的综合脉冲星时算法研究

毫秒脉冲星的自转频率非常稳定,提供了一种独立的基于遥远自然天体并能持续数百万乃至数十亿年的时间基准,具有稳定性强、运行时间长、服务范围广等特点.为了减弱毫秒脉冲星计时观测中各种高斯噪声对脉冲星时的影响,研究了一种基于双谱滤波的综合脉冲星时构建算法,处理分析了国际脉冲星计时阵(International Pul-sar Timing Array,IPTA)最新发布的4颗毫秒脉冲星(PSR J0437-4715、J0613-0200、J1713+0747和J1909-3744)的观测数据,分析了不同时间尺度综合脉冲星时的稳定性,并与构成国际原子时(International Atomic Time,TAI)的4家授时单位原子钟稳定性进行了比较.结果表明:双谱滤波算法能够较好地抑制观测噪声,提高综合脉冲星时的稳定性.相比于经典加权算法,综合脉冲星时1 yr、10 yr稳定度从7.77×10^-14、8.56×10^-16分别提高到1.50×10^-14、3.50×10^-16,单脉冲星时稳定性的提升也类似.同时发现,综合脉冲星时稳定性在5 yr及以上时间尺度上优于原子钟稳定性,可用于改善当前原子时的长期稳定性.     

综合脉冲星时的小波分析算法

由单脉冲星定义的脉冲星时受几种噪声源的影响,为削弱这些影响得到一种更稳定的时间尺度,采取将多颗脉冲星定义的单脉冲星时进行综合的分析方法得到综合脉冲星时．用两种方法:经典加权算法和小波分解算法,对PSRB1855 09和PSR B1937 21两颗脉冲星进行综合计算并做出比较,经典加权算法无法兼顾脉冲星不同频率上的稳定度,而用小波分析的方法对PSR B1855 09和PSR B1937 21两颗脉冲星进行综合,能够有效抑制不同频率上噪声的影响,达到更好的效果．     

Wavelet Analysis Algorithm for Synthetic Pulsar Time

The pulsar time defined by a single pulsar is affected by several noises and in order to weaken their effects and acquire a much more stable time scale we define a synthetic pulsar time from many single pulsar times. Synthesis of the two pulsars, PSR B1855 + 09 and PSR B1937 + 21 is implemented by two methods: the classical weighting algorithm and the wavelet decomposition algorithm. The results are compared. The classical weighting algorithm is unable to take into consideration the different degrees of stability at different frequencies while the wavelet algorithm can, and thereby get better results.     

Optimal filters for the construction of the ensemble pulsar time

An algorithm of the ensemble pulsar time based on the optimal Wiener filtration method has been constructed. This algorithm allows the separation of the contributions to the post-fit pulsar timing residuals of the atomic clock and the pulsar itself. Filters were designed using the cross- and auto-covariance functions of the timing residuals. The method has been applied to the timing data of millisecond pulsars PSR B1855+09 and B1937+21 and allowed the filtering out of the atomic-scale component from the pulsar data. Direct comparison of the terrestrial time TT(BIPM06) and the ensemble pulsar time PT_ens revealed that the fractional instability of TT(BIPM06)−PT_ens is equal to  σ _z = (0.8 ± 1.9) × 10⁻¹⁵  . Based on the  σ _z   statistics of TT(BIPM06)−PT_ens, a new limit of the energy density of the gravitational wave background was calculated to be equal to  Ω_g h ²∼ 3 × 10⁻⁹  .     

The application of co-integration theory in ensemble pulsar timescale algorithm

Employing multiple pulsars and using an appropriate algorithm to establish ensemble pulsar timescale can reduce the influences of various noises on the long-term stability of pulsar timescale, compared to a single pulsar. However, due to the low timing precision and significant red noises of some pulsars,their participation in the construction of ensemble pulsar timescale is often limited. Inspired by the principle of solving non-stationary sequence modeling using co-integration theory, we put forward an algorithm based on co-integration theory to establish an ensemble pulsar timescale. It is found that this algorithm can effectively suppress some noise sources if a co-integration relationship between different pulsar data exists.Different from the classical weighted average algorithm, the co-integration method provides the chance for a pulsar with significant red noises to be included in the establishment of an ensemble pulsar timescale.Based on data from the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves(NANOGrav),we found that the co-integration algorithm can successfully reduce several timing noises and improve the long-term stability of the ensemble pulsar timescale.     

毫秒脉冲星定时研究进展

毫秒脉冲星守时的理论和方法研究己取得重要进展,利用现有2颗毫秒脉冲星约10yr的计时观测资料分析得到的 TAI-PT,其长期稳定度为 2×10－14。采用合适的长期稳定度算法,由多颗毫秒脉冲星计时观测可以建立综合脉冲星时间尺度。它可以成为与原子时系统比较的重要手段,并对原子时长期稳定度的改进做出贡献。介绍了该领域研究的基本状况,重点对毫秒脉冲星守时的理论方法,综合脉冲星时间及与原子时的关系等进行了讨论和评述。对由双星系统内毫秒脉冲星的轨道运动定义的双星脉冲星时也做了介绍。     

Detection of giant radio pulses from the pulsar PSR B0656+14

Giant pulses (GPs) have been detected from the pulsar PSR B0656 + 14. A pulse that is more intense than the average pulse by a factor of 120 is encountered approximately once in 3000 observed periods of the pulsar. The peak flux density of the strongest pulse, 120 Jy, is a factor of 630 higher than that of the average pulse. The GP energy exceeds the energy of the average pulse by up to a factor of 110, which is comparable to that for other known pulsars with GPs, including the Crab pulsar and the millisecond pulsar PSR B1937+21. The giant pulses are a factor of ～6 narrower than the average pulse and are clustered at the head of the average pulse. PSR B0656+14 along with PSR B0031-07, PSR B1112+50, and PSR J1752+2359 belong to a distinctive group of pulsars in which GPs have been detected without any extremely strong magnetic field on the light cylinder.     

脉冲星时间特征和多星计时观测

在评介脉冲星时研究发展趋势的基础上,讨论了基于毫秒脉冲星自转的脉冲星时间的短期特征和长期稳定度,并对影响其稳定度的因素作了初步分析.50m射电望远镜计时观测的目的之一就是综合脉冲星时研究.对于50m望远镜计时观测的选星和由多星观测进行综合脉冲星时研究中的数据分析问题进行了讨论.     

基于实测数据的综合脉冲星时研究

介绍了脉冲星计时在几个重要方面的应用,给出了脉冲星时间尺度的简要定义.基于澳大利亚PARKES天文台的毫秒脉冲星实测计时数据,建立了基于4颗毫秒脉冲星的综合脉冲星时,并将其稳定度σz与原子时进行比较,最后分析了影响综合脉冲星时的几个重要因素及其对脉冲星计时精度的影响与应用.     

The Stokes phase portraits of descattered pulse profiles of a few pulsars

The observing signals from pulsar are always influenced by the interstellar medium (ISM) scattering. In the lower frequency observation, the intensity profiles are broadened and the plane of polarization angle (PPA) curves are flattened by the scattering effect of the ISM. So before we analyze the scattered signal, we should take a proper approach to clear scattering effect from it. Observing data and simulation have shown that the Stokes phase portraits I–U, I–Q and Q–U are also distorted by the ISM scattering. In this paper, a simulation is held to demonstrate a scattering and a descattering of the Stokes phase portraits of a single pulse profile of a pulsar. As a realization of the simulation method, this paper has studied the descattering of Stokes phase portraits of lower frequency observation of PSR B1356?60, PSR B1831?03, PSR B1859+03, PSR B1946+35.     

The Radio and X-ray Mode-Switching Pulsar PSR B0943+10

Observations obtained in the last years challenged the widespread notion that rotation-powered neutron stars are steady X-ray emitters. Besides a few allegedly rotation-powered neutron stars that showed ‘magnetar-like’ variability, a particularly interesting case is that of PSR B0943+10. Recent observations have shown that this pulsar, well studied in the radio band where it alternates between a bright and a quiescent mode, displays significant X-ray variations, anticorrelated in flux with the radio emission. The study of such synchronous radio/X-ray mode switching opens a new window to investigate the processes responsible for the pulsar radio and high-energy emission. Here we review the main X-ray properties of PSR B0943+10 derived from recent coordinated X-ray and radio observations.     

Research on Ensemble Pulsar Time Based on Observed Data

The applications of pulsar timing to several important aspects are introduced and a skeletal definition of the pulsar time scale is given. By taking advantage of the observational timing data of millisecond pulsars obtained at the Parkes Astronomical Observatory, Australia, the ensemble pulsar time based on 4 millisecond pulsars is built up, the comparison of its stability σz, with that of the atomic time is made, and finally a few of important factors which affect the ensemble pulsar time, as well as their influences on the pulsar timing accuracy and application are analyzed.     

The cross-correlation between the microwave and X-ray backgrounds: foregrounds and systematics

In this paper, we describe a novel experiment for the accurate estimation of pulsar dispersion measures (DMs) using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope. This experiment was carried out for a sample of 12 pulsars, over a period of more than one year (2001 January to 2002 May) with observations about once every fortnight. At each epoch, the pulsar DMs were obtained from simultaneous dual-frequency observations, without requiring any absolute timing information. The DM estimates were obtained from both the single-pulse data streams and from the average profiles. The accuracy of the DM estimates at each epoch is ∼1 part in 10⁴ or better, making the data set useful for many different kinds of studies.
The time-series of DMs shows significant variations on time-scales of weeks to months for most of the pulsars. An analysis of the mean DM values from these data shows significant deviations from catalogue values (as well as from other estimates in the literature) for some of the pulsars, with PSR B1642−03 showing the most notable differences. From our analysis results it appears that the constancy of pulsar DMs (at the level of 1 in 10³ or better) cannot be taken for granted. For PSR B2217+47, we see evidence of a large-scale DM gradient over a 1-yr period, which is modelled as being due to a blob of enhanced electron density sampled by the line of sight. For some pulsars, including pulsars with fairly simple profiles such as PSR B1642−03, we find evidence for small changes in DM values for different frequency pairs of measurement, a result that needs to be investigated in detail. Another interesting result is that we find significant differences in DM values obtained from average profiles and single-pulse data.     

Searches for Planets Around Neutron Stars

We review the methodology of searches for planet-mass bodies around neutron stars observable as radio pulsars and discuss the current status of these searches. PSR B1257 + 12, a 6.2-millisecond pulsar, remains the only neutron star accompanied by confirmed planets. It is possible that there is a fourth distant planet in the 1257+12 system. The best of the other candidates for pulsar planets under consideration is a distant, possibly Jovian-mass companion to PSR B1620-26, a 11-millisecond pulsar in the globular cluster M4. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

毫秒脉冲星在时间计量中的可能应用

在分析射电脉冲星的自转和时间尺度的基本特征及其相互之间的关系的基础上，讨论了毫秒脉冲星在时间工作中的可能应用。基于毫秒脉冲星的到达时间的测量，经过必要的时空转换、改正及参数拟合，可以建立脉冲星时及综合脉冲星时。虽然脉冲星时及综合脉冲星时对原子有所依赖，但它们，特别是综合脉冲星时，可以用来将原子时的准确度从一个时段传递到另一个时段，并可用来分析原子时的长期稳定度。另外，可以利用双星脉冲星的轨道运动的相位来定义一种动力学时间尺度－－双星脉冲星时。     

Radio search for pulsed emission from X-ray pulsars

An experiment has been performed at 325 MHz, with a 10 m tracking dish, for the search of pulsed radio emission associated with X-ray pulsars. No evidence of radio pulses has been found in the four sources investigated, although the radio pulsar PSR 0329+54, used as a testing object, has been detected successfully.     

A possible association of a long-period pulsar with a supernova remnant?

In this paper we argue that the PSR B 1849+00 and SNR G33.6+0.1 are possibly associated, because (1) there is only a small probability of chance superposition in this sky region; (2) although the estimates of the distance and the age of the two objects contain a high degree of uncertainty, they are not inconsistent; (3) the implied transverse velocity of the pulsar is also quite reasonable according to the measured distribution of pulsar velocities. The association could be verified by measuring the proper motion of PSR B 1849+00, which is estimated to be about 10 mas·yr^–1.     

A study of subpulse phase correlation across nulls in PSR B0031−07

The correlation of subpulse phases across nulls is investigated in the radio pulsar PSR B0031−07, using 29 849 periods of high-quality data obtained with the Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT) which operates at 327 MHz. Assuming that the turn-off and turn-on subpulse phases (the phase of the subpulse in the last period before the null and that in the first period after the null, respectively) are independent random variables, the expected distribution of their difference (i.e. the total drift) is inconsistent with the observed distribution for null transitions within the same drift mode; this implies a correlation of subpulse phase across nulls. However, this correlation decreases with null duration for both the dominant drift modes. Substantial drifting occurs during short nulls (one to four periods); the drift rate during the short nulls appears to be constant for a class A transition, whereas it decreases with null duration for class B transitions. These results, together with the reported behaviour of PSR B1944+17 and PSR B0809+74, seem to imply different time-scales for phase correlation in different pulsars.     

Timing models for the long orbital period binary pulsar PSR B1259–63

The pulsar PSR B1259–63 is in a highly eccentric 3.4-yr orbit with the Be star SS 2883. Timing observations of this pulsar, made over a 7-yr period using the Parkes 64-m radio telescope, cover two periastron passages, in 1990 August and 1994 January. The timing data cannot be fitted by the normal pulsar and Keplerian binary parameters. A timing solution including a (non-precessing) Keplerian orbit and timing noise (represented as a polynomial of fifth order in time) provides a satisfactory fit to the data. However, because the Be star probably has a significant quadrupole moment, we prefer to interpret the data by a combination of timing noise, dominated by a cubic phase term, and ω^. and x ^. terms. We show that the ω^. and x ^. terms are likely to be a result of a precessing orbit caused by the quadrupole moment of the tilted companion star. We further rule out a number of possible physical effects which could contribute to the timing data of PSR B1259–63 on a measurable level.