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1. A pulsar-based time-scale from the International Pulsar Timing Array

Author

Sourav Chatterjee, Daniel J. Reardon, Ismaël Cognard, Gemma H. Janssen, Sarah Burke-Spolaor, Zaven Arzoumanian, Michael T. Lam, Kejia Lee, Michael Kramer, Benetge Perera, J. B. Wang, L. Guo, Renée Spiewak, Ryan Shannon, David J. Nice, Richard N. Manchester, N. D. R. Bhat, D. Matsakis, E. Graikou, Joseph Simon, Ingrid H. Stairs, R. N. Caballero, Shi Dai, Matthew Bailes, Christopher J. Russell, Alberto Sesana, Robert D. Ferdman, Lucas Guillemot, Delphine Perrodin, Xing-Jiang Zhu, Andrew Lyne, Chiara M. F. Mingarelli, C. G. Bassa, Benjamin Stappers, A. Brazier, R. van Haasteren, Timothy T. Pennucci, J. W. McKee, Yue-Fei Wang, Maura McLaughlin, Michael Keith, L. Toomey, Matthew Kerr, William A. Coles, Timothy Dolch, Stefan Oslowski, M. L. Tong, Stephen Taylor, D. J. Champion, Kang Liu, S. A. Sanidas, George Hobbs, J. K. Swiggum, Gregory Desvignes, Gilles Theureau, A. Possenti, T. J. W. Lazio, R. S. Lynch, G. Shaifullah, 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), Hobbs, G, Guo, L, Caballero, R, Coles, W, Lee, K, Manchester, R, Reardon, D, Matsakis, D, Tong, M, Arzoumanian, Z, Bailes, M, Bassa, C, Bhat, N, Brazier, A, Burke-Spolaor, S, Champion, D, Chatterjee, S, Cognard, I, Dai, S, Desvignes, G, Dolch, T, Ferdman, R, Graikou, E, Guillemot, L, Janssen, G, Keith, M, Kerr, M, Kramer, M, Lam, M, Liu, K, Lyne, A, Lazio, T, Lynch, R, Mckee, J, Mclaughlin, M, Mingarelli, C, Nice, D, Osłowski, S, Pennucci, T, Perera, B, Perrodin, D, Possenti, A, Russell, C, Sanidas, S, Sesana, A, Shaifullah, G, Shannon, R, Simon, J, Spiewak, R, Stairs, I, Stappers, B, Swiggum, J, Taylor, S, Theureau, G, Toomey, L, van Haasteren, R, Wang, J, Wang, Y, Zhu, X, 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), 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), ITA, USA, GBR, FRA, DEU, AUS, CAN, NLD, CHN, and HUN

Subjects
Astronomy, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, Astronomy & Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Stability (probability), general [pulsars], Pulsar, Millisecond pulsar, Observatory, pulsars: general, 0103 physical sciences, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det], Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, time, Physics, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Gravitational wave, Spectral density, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atomic clock, 13. Climate action, Space and Planetary Science, [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics], Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Noise (radio), Astronomical and Space Sciences
Abstract

We have constructed a new timescale, 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 timescale. The two analyses agree within the estimated uncertainties and both agree with TT(BIPM17), a post-corrected timescale 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 timescales are unlikely to contribute to the stability of the best timescales over the next decade, but they will remain a valuable independent check on atomic timescales. We also find that the stability of the pulsar-based timescale 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., Comment: accepted by MNRAS

Published
2020
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2. 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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3. 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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4. 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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5. The NANOGrav 11-Year Data Set: Limits on Gravitational Waves from Individual Supermassive Black Hole Binaries

Author

David L. Kaplan, Adam Brazier, Sarah Burke-Spolaor, Megan E. DeCesar, Emmanuel Fonseca, R. van Haasteren, Joseph Simon, Joey Shapiro Key, Robert D. Ferdman, Cherry Ng, Zaven Arzoumanian, Lina Levin, Peter A. Gentile, N. Garver-Daniels, Neil J. Cornish, Ryan S. Lynch, Chiara M. F. Mingarelli, A. M. Holgado, Xavier Siemens, Kathryn Crowter, Justin A. Ellis, Stephen Taylor, J. E. Turner, Weiwei Zhu, Caitlin A. Witt, Ingrid H. Stairs, Paul Demorest, T. J. W. Lazio, Paul S. Ray, Michele Vallisneri, Ross J. Jennings, K. Islo, E. A. Huerta, J. Luo, Luke Zoltan Kelley, Sean T. McWilliams, David J. Nice, Maura McLaughlin, D. R. Madison, Daniel R. Stinebring, James M. Cordes, Renée Spiewak, P. T. Baker, M. R. Brinson, Kshitij Aggarwal, Elizabeth C. Ferrara, Nihan Pol, M. L. Jones, Glenn Jones, Paul R. Brook, Timothy Dolch, Jeffrey S. Hazboun, Scott M. Ransom, Michael T. Lam, Joseph K. Swiggum, H. T. Cromartie, Fronefield Crawford, Duncan R. Lorimer, Shami Chatterjee, Kevin Stovall, Andrew R. Kaiser, Timothy T. Pennucci, and Sarah J. Vigeland

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc), 01 natural sciences, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology, Pulsar, Observatory, 0103 physical sciences, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Physics, Supermassive black hole, Solar mass, Gravitational wave, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies, Virgo Cluster, Galaxy, Black hole, 13. Climate action, Space and Planetary Science, Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA), Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Abstract

Observations indicate that nearly all galaxies contain supermassive black holes (SMBHs) at their centers. When galaxies merge, their component black holes form SMBH binaries (SMBHBs), which emit low-frequency gravitational waves (GWs) that can be detected by pulsar timing arrays (PTAs). We have searched the recently-released North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) 11-year data set for GWs from individual SMBHBs in circular orbits. As we did not find strong evidence for GWs in our data, we placed 95\% upper limits on the strength of GWs from such sources as a function of GW frequency and sky location. We placed a sky-averaged upper limit on the GW strain of $h_0 < 7.3(3) \times 10^{-15}$ at $f_\mathrm{gw}= 8$ nHz. We also developed a technique to determine the significance of a particular signal in each pulsar using ``dropout' parameters as a way of identifying spurious signals in measurements from individual pulsars. We used our upper limits on the GW strain to place lower limits on the distances to individual SMBHBs. At the most-sensitive sky location, we ruled out SMBHBs emitting GWs with $f_\mathrm{gw}= 8$ nHz within 120 Mpc for $\mathcal{M} = 10^9 \, M_\odot$, and within 5.5 Gpc for $\mathcal{M} = 10^{10} \, M_\odot$. We also determined that there are no SMBHBs with $\mathcal{M} > 1.6 \times 10^9 \, M_\odot$ emitting GWs in the Virgo Cluster. Finally, we estimated the number of potentially detectable sources given our current strain upper limits based on galaxies in Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) and merger rates from the Illustris cosmological simulation project. Only 34 out of 75,000 realizations of the local Universe contained a detectable source, from which we concluded it was unsurprising that we did not detect any individual sources given our current sensitivity to GWs., 10 pages, 11 figures. Accepted by Astrophysical Journal. Please send any comments/questions to S. J. Vigeland (vigeland@uwm.edu)

Published
2018
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6. Placing limits on the stochastic gravitational-wave background using European Pulsar Timing Array data

Author

R. van Haasteren, Y. Levin, G. H. Janssen, K. Lazaridis, M. Kramer, B. W. Stappers, G. Desvignes, M. B. Purver, A. G. Lyne, R. D. Ferdman, A. Jessner, I. Cognard, G. Theureau, N. D’Amico, A. Possenti, M. Burgay, A. Corongiu, J. W. T. Hessels, R. Smits, and J. P. W. Verbiest

Subjects
Physics, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Gravitational wave, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Function (mathematics), Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Gravitational wave background, European Pulsar Timing Array, symbols.namesake, Pulsar timing array, Amplitude, Space and Planetary Science, 0103 physical sciences, symbols, Limit (mathematics), 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Gaussian process
Abstract

Direct detection of low-frequency gravitational waves ($10^{-9} - 10^{-8}$ Hz) is the main goal of pulsar timing array (PTA) projects. One of the main targets for the PTAs is to measure the stochastic background of gravitational waves (GWB) whose characteristic strain is expected to approximately follow a power-law of the form $h_c(f)=A (f/\hbox{yr}^{-1})^{\alpha}$, where $f$ is the gravitational-wave frequency. In this paper we use the current data from the European PTA to determine an upper limit on the GWB amplitude $A$ as a function of the unknown spectral slope $\alpha$ with a Bayesian algorithm, by modelling the GWB as a random Gaussian process. For the case $\alpha=-2/3$, which is expected if the GWB is produced by supermassive black-hole binaries, we obtain a 95% confidence upper limit on $A$ of $6\times 10^{-15}$, which is 1.8 times lower than the 95% confidence GWB limit obtained by the Parkes PTA in 2006. Our approach to the data analysis incorporates the multi-telescope nature of the European PTA and thus can serve as a useful template for future intercontinental PTA collaborations.

Published
2011
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7. Limits on anisotropy in the nanohertz stochastic gravitational-wave background

Author

Kang Liu, Chiara M. F. Mingarelli, P. Lazarus, R. van Haasteren, R. N. Caballero, Joris P. W. Verbiest, Stefan Oslowski, C. G. Bassa, S. Babak, A. Lassus, Gregory Desvignes, Gilles Theureau, J. R. Gair, Alberto Vecchio, Delphine Perrodin, S. Sanidas, R. Smits, M. Burgay, Caterina Tiburzi, Gemma H. Janssen, L. Lentati, Alberto Sesana, Pablo Rosado, Ramesh Karuppusamy, A. Possenti, Ismaël Cognard, Jason W. T. Hessels, Antoine Petiteau, Stephen Taylor, D. J. Champion, Lucas Guillemot, P. Brem, Ben Stappers, Michael Kramer, M. B. Purver, University of Cambridge [UK] (CAM), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA-California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut ) (AEI), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Cavendish Laboratory, Birmingham City University (BCU), Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), 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), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), 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), Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester [Manchester], INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari (OAC), Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR), Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), University of Amsterdam [Amsterdam] (UvA), Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory (CAL), Columbia University [New York], Centre de Physique des Particules de Marseille (CPPM), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Technische Fakultät, Universität Bielefeld, Universität Bielefeld = Bielefeld University, 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), Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing (Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing), Swinburne University of Technology [Melbourne], Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute) (AEI), Programme National de Cosmologie and Galaxies' (PNCG) of CNRS/INSU, France, European Project: 610058,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-SyG,BLACKHOLECAM(2014), European Project: 337062,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-StG,DRAGNET(2014), 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), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU), 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), 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 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), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), 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), High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), API (FNWI), Taylor, S, Mingarelli, C, Gair, J, Sesana, A, Theureau, G, Babak, S, Bassa, C, Brem, P, Burgay, M, Caballero, R, Champion, D, Cognard, I, Desvignes, G, Guillemot, L, Hessels, J, Janssen, G, Karuppusamy, R, Kramer, M, Lassus, A, Lazarus, P, Lentati, L, Liu, K, Oslowski, S, Perrodin, D, Petiteau, A, Possenti, A, Purver, M, Rosado, P, Sanidas, S, Smits, R, Stappers, B, Tiburzi, C, Van Haasteren, R, Vecchio, A, and Verbiest, J

Subjects
Gravitational wave detectors and experiments, Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO), gr-qc, Population, gravitational waves, pulsar timing, cosmology, General Physics and Astronomy, FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc), 01 natural sciences, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology, Gravitational wave background, Pulsar, 0103 physical sciences, education, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Pulsars, astro-ph.HE, Physics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), education.field_of_study, Supermassive black hole, Gravitational waves: theory, Galaxy mergers collisions and tidal interactions, [SDU.ASTR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph], 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Gravitational wave, European Pulsar Timing Array, Amplitude, astro-ph.CO, [PHYS.GRQC]Physics [physics]/General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology [gr-qc], Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Multipole expansion, Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
Abstract

The paucity of observed supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) may imply that the gravitational wave background (GWB) from this population is anisotropic, rendering existing analyses sub-optimal. We present the first constraints on the angular distribution of a nanohertz stochastic GWB from circular, inspiral-driven SMBHBs using the $2015$ European Pulsar Timing Array data [Desvignes et al. (in prep.)]. Our analysis of the GWB in the $\sim 2 - 90$ nHz band shows consistency with isotropy, with the strain amplitude in $l>0$ spherical harmonic multipoles $\lesssim 40\%$ of the monopole value. We expect that these more general techniques will become standard tools to probe the angular distribution of source populations., 6 pages, 2 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters

Published
2015
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8. A data analysis library for gravitational wave detection

Author

Chiara M. F. Mingarelli, Kejia Lee, R. van Haasteren, Alberto Vecchio, and A. Lassus

Subjects
User Friendly, Gravitational-wave observatory, Gravitational wave, Computer science, Pipeline (computing), Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, computer.software_genre, Pulsar, Space and Planetary Science, Data analysis, Bayesian framework, Data mining, computer
Abstract

One of the main goals of Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs) is the direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs). A first detection will be a major leap for astronomy and substantial effort is currently going into timing as many pulsars as possible, with the highest possible accuracy. As part of the individual PTA projects, several groups are developing data analysis methods for the final stage of a gravitational-waves search pipeline: the analysis of the timing residuals. Here we report the progress of on-going work to develop, within a Bayesian framework, a comprehensive and user friendly analysis library to search for gravitational waves in PTA data.

Published
2012
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9. GRAVITATIONAL WAVES FROM INDIVIDUAL SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE BINARIES IN CIRCULAR ORBITS: LIMITS FROM THE NORTH AMERICAN NANOHERTZ OBSERVATORY FOR GRAVITATIONAL WAVES

Author

J. A. Ellis, Paul Demorest, Scott M. Ransom, J. M. Cordes, Nipuni Palliyaguru, Wei Zhu, D. R. Madison, R. van Haasteren, X. Deng, Sourav Chatterjee, Alberto Sesana, Timothy Dolch, N. Garver-Daniels, Fredrick A. Jenet, Adam Brazier, Michael T. Lam, Xavier Siemens, Sarah Burke-Spolaor, I. H. Stairs, Yan Wang, Michele Vallisneri, Jing Luo, D. R. Stinebring, Glenn Jones, Zaven Arzoumanian, V. M. Kaspi, Joseph K. Swiggum, Maura McLaughlin, D. R. Lorimer, S. J. Chamberlin, Kevin Stovall, Andrea N. Lommen, M. Koop, Robert D. Ferdman, T. J. W. Lazio, Sean T. McWilliams, David J. Nice, Timothy T. Pennucci, and R. S. Lynch

Subjects
Physics, Supermassive black hole, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Gravitational wave, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Radio telescope, Pulsar timing array, Amplitude, Pulsar, 13. Climate action, Space and Planetary Science, 0103 physical sciences, Circular orbit, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Luminosity distance
Abstract

The North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) project currently observes 43 pulsars using the Green Bank and Arecibo radio telescopes. In this work we use a subset of 17 pulsars timed for a span of roughly five years (2005--2010). We analyze these data using standard pulsar timing models, with the addition of time-variable dispersion measure and frequency-variable pulse shape terms. Within the timing data, we perform a search for continuous gravitational waves from individual supermassive black hole binaries in circular orbits using robust frequentist and Bayesian techniques. We find that there is no evidence for the presence of a detectable continuous gravitational wave; however, we can use these data to place the most constraining upper limits to date on the strength of such gravitational waves. Using the full 17 pulsar dataset we place a 95% upper limit on the sky-averaged strain amplitude of $h_0\lesssim 3.8\times 10^{-14}$ at a frequency of 10 nHz. Furthermore, we place 95% \emph{all sky} lower limits on the luminosity distance to such gravitational wave sources finding that the $d_L \gtrsim 425$ Mpc for sources at a frequency of 10 nHz and chirp mass $10^{10}{\rm M}_{\odot}$. We find that for gravitational wave sources near our best timed pulsars in the sky, the sensitivity of the pulsar timing array is increased by a factor of $\sim$4 over the sky-averaged sensitivity. Finally we place limits on the coalescence rate of the most massive supermassive black hole binaries.

Published
2014
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