Wide-band simultaneous observations of pulsars: Disentangling dispersion measure and profile variations

T. E. Hassall; B. W. Stappers; J. W T Hessels; M. Kramer; A. Alexov; K. Anderson; T. Coenen; A. Karastergiou; E. F. Keane; V. I. Kondratiev; K. Lazaridis; J. Van Leeuwen; A. Noutsos; M. Serylak; C. Sobey; J. P W Verbiest; P. Weltevrede; K. Zagkouris; R. Fender; R. A M J Wijers; L. Bähren; M. E. Bell; J. W. Broderick; S. Corbel; E. J. Daw; V. S. Dhillon; J. Eislöffel; H. Falcke; J. M. Grießmeier; P. Jonker; C. Law; S. Markoff; J. C A Miller-Jones; R. Osten; E. Rol; A. M M Scaife; B. Scheers; P. Schellart; H. Spreeuw; J. Swinbank; S. Ter Veen; M. W. Wise; R. Wijnands; O. Wucknitz; P. Zarka; A. Asgekar; M. R. Bell; M. J. Bentum; G. Bernardi; P. Best; A. Bonafede; A. J. Boonstra; M. Brentjens; W. N. Brouw; M. Brüggen; H. R. Butcher; B. Ciardi; M. A. Garrett; M. Gerbers; A. W. Gunst; M. P. Van Haarlem; G. Heald; M. Hoeft; H. Holties; A. De Jong; L. V E Koopmans; M. Kuniyoshi; G. Kuper; G. M. Loose; P. Maat; J. Masters; J. P. McKean; H. Meulman; M. Mevius; H. Munk; J. E. Noordam; E. Orrú; H. Paas; M. Pandey-Pommier; V. N. Pandey; R. Pizzo; A. Polatidis; W. Reich; H. Röttgering; J. Sluman; M. Steinmetz; C. G M Sterks; M. Tagger; Y. Tang; C. Tasse; R. Vermeulen; R. J. Van Weeren; S. J. Wijnholds; S. Yatawatta

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201218970

Wide-band simultaneous observations of pulsars: Disentangling dispersion measure and profile variations

T. E. Hassall, B. W. Stappers, J. W T Hessels, M. Kramer, A. Alexov, K. Anderson, T. Coenen, A. Karastergiou, E. F. Keane, V. I. Kondratiev, K. Lazaridis, J. Van Leeuwen, A. Noutsos, M. Serylak, C. Sobey, J. P W Verbiest, P. Weltevrede, K. Zagkouris, R. Fender, R. A M J WijersL. Bähren, M. E. Bell, J. W. Broderick, S. Corbel, E. J. Daw, V. S. Dhillon, J. Eislöffel, H. Falcke, J. M. Grießmeier, P. Jonker, C. Law, S. Markoff, J. C A Miller-Jones, R. Osten, E. Rol, A. M M Scaife, B. Scheers, P. Schellart, H. Spreeuw, J. Swinbank, S. Ter Veen, M. W. Wise, R. Wijnands, O. Wucknitz, P. Zarka, A. Asgekar, M. R. Bell, M. J. Bentum, G. Bernardi, P. Best, A. Bonafede, A. J. Boonstra, M. Brentjens, W. N. Brouw, M. Brüggen, H. R. Butcher, B. Ciardi, M. A. Garrett, M. Gerbers, A. W. Gunst, M. P. Van Haarlem, G. Heald, M. Hoeft, H. Holties, A. De Jong, L. V E Koopmans, M. Kuniyoshi, G. Kuper, G. M. Loose, P. Maat, J. Masters, J. P. McKean, H. Meulman, M. Mevius, H. Munk, J. E. Noordam, E. Orrú, H. Paas, M. Pandey-Pommier, V. N. Pandey, R. Pizzo, A. Polatidis, W. Reich, H. Röttgering, J. Sluman, M. Steinmetz, C. G M Sterks, M. Tagger, Y. Tang, C. Tasse, R. Vermeulen, R. J. Van Weeren, S. J. Wijnholds, S. Yatawatta

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Dispersion in the interstellar medium is a well known phenomenon that follows a simple relationship, which has been used to predict the time delay of dispersed radio pulses since the late 1960s. We performed wide-band simultaneous observations of four pulsars with LOFAR (at 40-190 MHz), the 76-m Lovell Telescope (at 1400 MHz) and the Effelsberg 100-m Telescope (at 8000 MHz) to test the accuracy of the dispersion law over a broad frequency range. In this paper we present the results of these observations which show that the dispersion law is accurate to better than 1 part in 105 across our observing band. We use this fact to constrain some of the properties of the interstellar medium along the line-of-sight and use the lack of any aberration or retardation effects to determine upper limits on emission heights in the pulsar magnetosphere. We also discuss the effect of pulse profile evolution on our observations, and the implications that it could have for precision pulsar timing projects such as the detection of gravitational waves with pulsar timing arrays. © 2012 ESO.

Original language	English
Article number	A66
Journal	Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume	543
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201218970
Publication status	Published - 2012

Keywords

ISM: general
Magnetic fields
Pulsars: general
Telescopes

Access to Document

10.1051/0004-6361/201218970

Cite this

Hassall, T. E., Stappers, B. W., Hessels, J. W. T., Kramer, M., Alexov, A., Anderson, K., Coenen, T., Karastergiou, A., Keane, E. F., Kondratiev, V. I., Lazaridis, K., Van Leeuwen, J., Noutsos, A., Serylak, M., Sobey, C., Verbiest, J. P. W., Weltevrede, P., Zagkouris, K., Fender, R., ... Yatawatta, S. (2012). Wide-band simultaneous observations of pulsars: Disentangling dispersion measure and profile variations. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 543, Article A66. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201218970

@article{15745d4e67fb48b9ac4f21397aa0204a,

title = "Wide-band simultaneous observations of pulsars: Disentangling dispersion measure and profile variations",

abstract = "Dispersion in the interstellar medium is a well known phenomenon that follows a simple relationship, which has been used to predict the time delay of dispersed radio pulses since the late 1960s. We performed wide-band simultaneous observations of four pulsars with LOFAR (at 40-190 MHz), the 76-m Lovell Telescope (at 1400 MHz) and the Effelsberg 100-m Telescope (at 8000 MHz) to test the accuracy of the dispersion law over a broad frequency range. In this paper we present the results of these observations which show that the dispersion law is accurate to better than 1 part in 105 across our observing band. We use this fact to constrain some of the properties of the interstellar medium along the line-of-sight and use the lack of any aberration or retardation effects to determine upper limits on emission heights in the pulsar magnetosphere. We also discuss the effect of pulse profile evolution on our observations, and the implications that it could have for precision pulsar timing projects such as the detection of gravitational waves with pulsar timing arrays. {\textcopyright} 2012 ESO.",

keywords = "ISM: general, Magnetic fields, Pulsars: general, Telescopes",

author = "Hassall, {T. E.} and Stappers, {B. W.} and Hessels, {J. W T} and M. Kramer and A. Alexov and K. Anderson and T. Coenen and A. Karastergiou and Keane, {E. F.} and Kondratiev, {V. I.} and K. Lazaridis and {Van Leeuwen}, J. and A. Noutsos and M. Serylak and C. Sobey and Verbiest, {J. P W} and P. Weltevrede and K. Zagkouris and R. Fender and Wijers, {R. A M J} and L. B{\"a}hren and Bell, {M. E.} and Broderick, {J. W.} and S. Corbel and Daw, {E. J.} and Dhillon, {V. S.} and J. Eisl{\"o}ffel and H. Falcke and Grie{\ss}meier, {J. M.} and P. Jonker and C. Law and S. Markoff and Miller-Jones, {J. C A} and R. Osten and E. Rol and Scaife, {A. M M} and B. Scheers and P. Schellart and H. Spreeuw and J. Swinbank and {Ter Veen}, S. and Wise, {M. W.} and R. Wijnands and O. Wucknitz and P. Zarka and A. Asgekar and Bell, {M. R.} and Bentum, {M. J.} and G. Bernardi and P. Best and A. Bonafede and Boonstra, {A. J.} and M. Brentjens and Brouw, {W. N.} and M. Br{\"u}ggen and Butcher, {H. R.} and B. Ciardi and Garrett, {M. A.} and M. Gerbers and Gunst, {A. W.} and {Van Haarlem}, {M. P.} and G. Heald and M. Hoeft and H. Holties and {De Jong}, A. and Koopmans, {L. V E} and M. Kuniyoshi and G. Kuper and Loose, {G. M.} and P. Maat and J. Masters and McKean, {J. P.} and H. Meulman and M. Mevius and H. Munk and Noordam, {J. E.} and E. Orr{\'u} and H. Paas and M. Pandey-Pommier and Pandey, {V. N.} and R. Pizzo and A. Polatidis and W. Reich and H. R{\"o}ttgering and J. Sluman and M. Steinmetz and Sterks, {C. G M} and M. Tagger and Y. Tang and C. Tasse and R. Vermeulen and {Van Weeren}, {R. J.} and Wijnholds, {S. J.} and S. Yatawatta",

year = "2012",

doi = "10.1051/0004-6361/201218970",

language = "English",

volume = "543",

journal = "Astronomy and Astrophysics",

issn = "0004-6361",

publisher = "EDP Sciences",

}

Hassall, TE, Stappers, BW, Hessels, JWT, Kramer, M, Alexov, A, Anderson, K, Coenen, T, Karastergiou, A, Keane, EF, Kondratiev, VI, Lazaridis, K, Van Leeuwen, J, Noutsos, A, Serylak, M, Sobey, C, Verbiest, JPW, Weltevrede, P, Zagkouris, K, Fender, R, Wijers, RAMJ, Bähren, L, Bell, ME, Broderick, JW, Corbel, S, Daw, EJ, Dhillon, VS, Eislöffel, J, Falcke, H, Grießmeier, JM, Jonker, P, Law, C, Markoff, S, Miller-Jones, JCA, Osten, R, Rol, E, Scaife, AMM, Scheers, B, Schellart, P, Spreeuw, H, Swinbank, J, Ter Veen, S, Wise, MW, Wijnands, R, Wucknitz, O, Zarka, P, Asgekar, A, Bell, MR, Bentum, MJ, Bernardi, G, Best, P, Bonafede, A, Boonstra, AJ, Brentjens, M, Brouw, WN, Brüggen, M, Butcher, HR, Ciardi, B, Garrett, MA, Gerbers, M, Gunst, AW, Van Haarlem, MP, Heald, G, Hoeft, M, Holties, H, De Jong, A, Koopmans, LVE, Kuniyoshi, M, Kuper, G, Loose, GM, Maat, P, Masters, J, McKean, JP, Meulman, H, Mevius, M, Munk, H, Noordam, JE, Orrú, E, Paas, H, Pandey-Pommier, M, Pandey, VN, Pizzo, R, Polatidis, A, Reich, W, Röttgering, H, Sluman, J, Steinmetz, M, Sterks, CGM, Tagger, M, Tang, Y, Tasse, C, Vermeulen, R, Van Weeren, RJ, Wijnholds, SJ & Yatawatta, S 2012, 'Wide-band simultaneous observations of pulsars: Disentangling dispersion measure and profile variations', Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 543, A66. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201218970

TY - JOUR

T1 - Wide-band simultaneous observations of pulsars: Disentangling dispersion measure and profile variations

AU - Hassall, T. E.

AU - Stappers, B. W.

AU - Hessels, J. W T

AU - Kramer, M.

AU - Alexov, A.

AU - Anderson, K.

AU - Coenen, T.

AU - Karastergiou, A.

AU - Keane, E. F.

AU - Kondratiev, V. I.

AU - Lazaridis, K.

AU - Van Leeuwen, J.

AU - Noutsos, A.

AU - Serylak, M.

AU - Sobey, C.

AU - Verbiest, J. P W

AU - Weltevrede, P.

AU - Zagkouris, K.

AU - Fender, R.

AU - Wijers, R. A M J

AU - Bähren, L.

AU - Bell, M. E.

AU - Broderick, J. W.

AU - Corbel, S.

AU - Daw, E. J.

AU - Dhillon, V. S.

AU - Eislöffel, J.

AU - Falcke, H.

AU - Grießmeier, J. M.

AU - Jonker, P.

AU - Law, C.

AU - Markoff, S.

AU - Miller-Jones, J. C A

AU - Osten, R.

AU - Rol, E.

AU - Scaife, A. M M

AU - Scheers, B.

AU - Schellart, P.

AU - Spreeuw, H.

AU - Swinbank, J.

AU - Ter Veen, S.

AU - Wise, M. W.

AU - Wijnands, R.

AU - Wucknitz, O.

AU - Zarka, P.

AU - Asgekar, A.

AU - Bell, M. R.

AU - Bentum, M. J.

AU - Bernardi, G.

AU - Best, P.

AU - Bonafede, A.

AU - Boonstra, A. J.

AU - Brentjens, M.

AU - Brouw, W. N.

AU - Brüggen, M.

AU - Butcher, H. R.

AU - Ciardi, B.

AU - Garrett, M. A.

AU - Gerbers, M.

AU - Gunst, A. W.

AU - Van Haarlem, M. P.

AU - Heald, G.

AU - Hoeft, M.

AU - Holties, H.

AU - De Jong, A.

AU - Koopmans, L. V E

AU - Kuniyoshi, M.

AU - Kuper, G.

AU - Loose, G. M.

AU - Maat, P.

AU - Masters, J.

AU - McKean, J. P.

AU - Meulman, H.

AU - Mevius, M.

AU - Munk, H.

AU - Noordam, J. E.

AU - Orrú, E.

AU - Paas, H.

AU - Pandey-Pommier, M.

AU - Pandey, V. N.

AU - Pizzo, R.

AU - Polatidis, A.

AU - Reich, W.

AU - Röttgering, H.

AU - Sluman, J.

AU - Steinmetz, M.

AU - Sterks, C. G M

AU - Tagger, M.

AU - Tang, Y.

AU - Tasse, C.

AU - Vermeulen, R.

AU - Van Weeren, R. J.

AU - Wijnholds, S. J.

AU - Yatawatta, S.

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Dispersion in the interstellar medium is a well known phenomenon that follows a simple relationship, which has been used to predict the time delay of dispersed radio pulses since the late 1960s. We performed wide-band simultaneous observations of four pulsars with LOFAR (at 40-190 MHz), the 76-m Lovell Telescope (at 1400 MHz) and the Effelsberg 100-m Telescope (at 8000 MHz) to test the accuracy of the dispersion law over a broad frequency range. In this paper we present the results of these observations which show that the dispersion law is accurate to better than 1 part in 105 across our observing band. We use this fact to constrain some of the properties of the interstellar medium along the line-of-sight and use the lack of any aberration or retardation effects to determine upper limits on emission heights in the pulsar magnetosphere. We also discuss the effect of pulse profile evolution on our observations, and the implications that it could have for precision pulsar timing projects such as the detection of gravitational waves with pulsar timing arrays. © 2012 ESO.

AB - Dispersion in the interstellar medium is a well known phenomenon that follows a simple relationship, which has been used to predict the time delay of dispersed radio pulses since the late 1960s. We performed wide-band simultaneous observations of four pulsars with LOFAR (at 40-190 MHz), the 76-m Lovell Telescope (at 1400 MHz) and the Effelsberg 100-m Telescope (at 8000 MHz) to test the accuracy of the dispersion law over a broad frequency range. In this paper we present the results of these observations which show that the dispersion law is accurate to better than 1 part in 105 across our observing band. We use this fact to constrain some of the properties of the interstellar medium along the line-of-sight and use the lack of any aberration or retardation effects to determine upper limits on emission heights in the pulsar magnetosphere. We also discuss the effect of pulse profile evolution on our observations, and the implications that it could have for precision pulsar timing projects such as the detection of gravitational waves with pulsar timing arrays. © 2012 ESO.

KW - ISM: general

KW - Magnetic fields

KW - Pulsars: general

KW - Telescopes

U2 - 10.1051/0004-6361/201218970

DO - 10.1051/0004-6361/201218970

M3 - Article

SN - 0004-6361

VL - 543

JO - Astronomy and Astrophysics

JF - Astronomy and Astrophysics

M1 - A66

ER -

Wide-band simultaneous observations of pulsars: Disentangling dispersion measure and profile variations

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this