arXiv subjects

M. A. Krishnakumar

Publications and source records attributed to M. A. Krishnakumar.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2023

The second data release from the European Pulsar Timing Array II. Customised pulsar noise models for spatially correlated gravitational waves

The nanohertz gravitational wave background (GWB) is expected to be an aggregate signal of an ensemble of gravitational waves emitted predominantly by a large population of coalescing supermassive black hole binaries in the centres of merging galaxies. Pulsar timing arrays, ensembles of extremely stable pulsars, are the most precise experiments capable of detecting this background. However, the subtle imprints that the GWB induces on pulsar timing data are obscured by many sources of noise. These must be carefully characterized to increase the sensitivity to the GWB. In this paper, we present a novel technique to estimate the optimal number of frequency coefficients for modelling achromatic and chromatic noise and perform model selection. We also incorporate a new model to fit for scattering variations in the pulsar timing package temponest and created realistic simulations of the European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA) datasets that allowed us to test the efficacy of our noise modelling algorithms. We present an in-depth analysis of the noise properties of 25 millisecond pulsars (MSPs) that form the second data release (DR2) of the EPTA and investigate the effect of incorporating low-frequency data from the Indian PTA collaboration. We use enterprise and temponest packages to compare noise models with those reported with the EPTA DR1. We find that, while in some pulsars we can successfully disentangle chromatic from achromatic noise owing to the wider frequency coverage in DR2, in others the noise models evolve in a more complicated way. We also find evidence of long-term scattering variations in PSR J1600$-$3053. Through our simulations, we identify intrinsic biases in our current noise analysis techniques and discuss their effect on GWB searches. The results presented here directly help improve sensitivity to the GWB and are already being used as part of global PTA efforts.

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arXiv2023

The second data release from the European Pulsar Timing Array III. Search for gravitational wave signals

We present the results of the search for an isotropic stochastic gravitational wave background (GWB) at nanohertz frequencies using the second data release of the European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA) for 25 millisecond pulsars and a combination with the first data release of the Indian Pulsar Timing Array (InPTA). We analysed (i) the full 24.7-year EPTA data set, (ii) its 10.3-year subset based on modern observing systems, (iii) the combination of the full data set with the first data release of the InPTA for ten commonly timed millisecond pulsars, and (iv) the combination of the 10.3-year subset with the InPTA data. These combinations allowed us to probe the contributions of instrumental noise and interstellar propagation effects. With the full data set, we find marginal evidence for a GWB, with a Bayes factor of four and a false alarm probability of $4\%$. With the 10.3-year subset, we report evidence for a GWB, with a Bayes factor of $60$ and a false alarm probability of about $0.1\%$ ($\gtrsim 3σ$ significance). The addition of the InPTA data yields results that are broadly consistent with the EPTA-only data sets, with the benefit of better noise modelling. Analyses were performed with different data processing pipelines to test the consistency of the results from independent software packages. The inferred spectrum from the latest EPTA data from new generation observing systems is rather uncertain and in mild tension with the common signal measured in the full data set. However, if the spectral index is fixed at 13/3, the two data sets give a similar amplitude of ($2.5\pm0.7)\times10^{-15}$ at a reference frequency of $1\,{\rm yr}^{-1}$. By continuing our detection efforts as part of the International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA), we expect to be able to improve the measurement of spatial correlations and better characterise this signal in the coming years.

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arXiv2023

Noise analysis of the Indian Pulsar Timing Array data release I

The Indian Pulsar Timing Array (InPTA) collaboration has recently made its first official data release (DR1) for a sample of 14 pulsars using 3.5 years of uGMRT observations. We present the results of single-pulsar noise analysis for each of these 14 pulsars using the InPTA DR1. For this purpose, we consider white noise, achromatic red noise, dispersion measure (DM) variations, and scattering variations in our analysis. We apply Bayesian model selection to obtain the preferred noise models among these for each pulsar. For PSR J1600$-$3053, we find no evidence of DM and scattering variations, while for PSR J1909$-$3744, we find no significant scattering variations. Properties vary dramatically among pulsars. For example, we find a strong chromatic noise with chromatic index $\sim$ 2.9 for PSR J1939+2134, indicating the possibility of a scattering index that doesn't agree with that expected for a Kolmogorov scattering medium consistent with similar results for millisecond pulsars in past studies. Despite the relatively short time baseline, the noise models broadly agree with the other PTAs and provide, at the same time, well-constrained DM and scattering variations.

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arXiv2022

The Indian Pulsar Timing Array: First data release

We present the pulse arrival times and high-precision dispersion measure estimates for 14 millisecond pulsars observed simultaneously in the 300-500 MHz and 1260-1460 MHz frequency bands using the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT). The data spans over a baseline of 3.5 years (2018-2021), and is the first official data release made available by the Indian Pulsar Timing Array collaboration. This data release presents a unique opportunity for investigating the interstellar medium effects at low radio frequencies and their impact on the timing precision of pulsar timing array experiments. In addition to the dispersion measure time series and pulse arrival times obtained using both narrowband and wideband timing techniques, we also present the dispersion measure structure function analysis for selected pulsars. Our ongoing investigations regarding the frequency dependence of dispersion measures have been discussed. Based on the preliminary analysis for five millisecond pulsars, we do not find any conclusive evidence of chromaticity in dispersion measures. Data from regular simultaneous two-frequency observations are presented for the first time in this work. This distinctive feature leads us to the highest precision dispersion measure estimates obtained so far for a subset of our sample. Simultaneous multi-band uGMRT observations in Band 3 and Band 5 are crucial for high-precision dispersion measure estimation and for the prospect of expanding the overall frequency coverage upon the combination of data from the various Pulsar Timing Array consortia in the near future. Parts of the data presented in this work are expected to be incorporated into the upcoming third data release of the International Pulsar Timing Array.

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arXiv2022

Nanohertz Gravitational Wave Astronomy during the SKA Era: An InPTA perspective

Decades long monitoring of millisecond pulsars, which exhibit highly stable rotational periods, in pulsar timing array experiments is on the threshold of discovering nanohertz stochastic gravitational wave background. This paper describes the Indian Pulsar timing array (InPTA) experiment, which employs the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) for timing an ensemble of millisecond pulsars for this purpose. We highlight InPTA's observation strategies and analysis methods, which are relevant for a future PTA experiment with the more sensitive Square Kilometer Array (SKA) telescope. We show that the unique multi-sub-array multi-band wide-bandwidth frequency coverage of the InPTA provides Dispersion Measure estimates with unprecedented precision for PTA pulsars, e.g., ~ 2 x 10{-5} pc-cm{-3} for PSR J1909-3744. Configuring the SKA-low and SKA-mid as two and four sub-arrays respectively, it is shown that comparable precision is achievable, using observation strategies similar to those pursued by the InPTA, for a larger sample of 62 pulsars requiring about 26 and 7 hours per epoch for the SKA-mid and the SKA-low telescopes respectively. We also review the ongoing efforts to develop PTA-relevant general relativistic constructs that will be required to search for nanohertz gravitational waves from isolated super-massive black hole binary systems like blazar OJ 287. These efforts should be relevant to pursue persistent multi-messenger gravitational wave astronomy during the forthcoming era of the SKA telescope, the Thirty Meter Telescope, and the next-generation Event Horizon Telescope.

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arXiv2021

A real-time Automated Glitch Detection Pipeline at Ooty Radio Telescope

Glitches are the observational manifestations of superfluidity inside neutron stars. The aim of this paper is to describe an automated glitch detection pipeline, which can alert the observers on possible real-time detection of rotational glitches in pulsars. Post alert, the pulsars can be monitored at a higher cadence to measure the post-glitch recovery phase. Two algorithms namely, Median Absolute Deviation (MAD) and polynomial regression have been explored to detect glitches in real time. The pipeline has been optimized with the help of simulated timing residuals for both the algorithms. Based on the simulations, we conclude that the polynomial regression algorithm is significantly more effective for real time glitch detection. The pipeline has been tested on a few published glitches. This pipeline is presently implemented at the Ooty Radio Telescope. In the era of upcoming large telescopes like SKA, several hundreds of pulsars will be observed regularly and such a tool will be useful for both real-time detection as well as optimal utilization of observation time for such glitching pulsars.

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arXiv2021

High Precision Measurements of Interstellar Dispersion Measure with the upgraded GMRT

Pulsar radio emission undergoes dispersion due to the presence of free electrons in the interstellar medium (ISM). The dispersive delay in the arrival time of pulsar signal changes over time due to the varying ISM electron column density along the line of sight. Correcting for this delay accurately is crucial for the detection of nanohertz gravitational waves using Pulsar Timing Arrays. In this work, we present in-band and inter-band DM estimates of four pulsars observed with uGMRT over the timescale of a year using two different template alignment methods. The DMs obtained using both these methods show only subtle differences for PSR 1713+0747 and J1909$-$3744. A considerable offset is seen in the DM of PSR J1939+2134 and J2145$-$0750 between the two methods. This could be due to the presence of scattering in the former and profile evolution in the latter. We find that both methods are useful but could have a systematic offset between the DMs obtained. Irrespective of the template alignment methods followed, the precision on the DMs obtained is about $10^{-3}$ pc cm$^{-3}$ using only BAND3 and $10^{-4}$ pc cm$^{-3}$ after combining data from BAND3 and BAND5 of the uGMRT. In a particular result, we have detected a DM excess of about $5\times10^{-3}$ pc cm$^{-3}$ on 24 February 2019 for PSR J2145$-$0750. This excess appears to be due to the interaction region created by fast solar wind from a coronal hole and a coronal mass ejection (CME) observed from the Sun on that epoch. A detailed analysis of this interesting event is presented.

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arXiv2021

pinta: The uGMRT Data Processing Pipeline for the Indian Pulsar Timing Array

We introduce pinta, a pipeline for reducing the upgraded Giant Metre-wave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) raw pulsar timing data, developed for the Indian Pulsar Timing Array experiment. We provide a detailed description of the workflow and usage of pinta, as well as its computational performance and RFI mitigation characteristics. We also discuss a novel and independent determination of the relative time offsets between the different back-end modes of uGMRT and the interpretation of the uGMRT observation frequency settings, and their agreement with results obtained from engineering tests. Further, we demonstrate the capability of pinta to generate data products which can produce high-precision TOAs using PSR J1909-3744 as an example. These results are crucial for performing precision pulsar timing with the uGMRT.

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arXiv2019

Observed glitches in 8 young pulsars

The abrupt change in the pulse period of a pulsar is called a pulsar glitch. In this paper, we present eleven pulsar glitches detected using the Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT) and the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) in high cadence timing observations of 8 pulsars. The measured relative amplitude of glitches ($Δν/ν$) from our data ranges from $10^{-6}$ to $10^{-9}$. Among these glitches, three are new discoveries, being reported for the first time. We also reanalyze the largest pulsar glitch in the Crab pulsar (PSR J0534+2200) by fitting the ORT data to a new phenomenological model including the slow rise in the post-glitch evolution. We measure an exponential recovery of 30 days after the Vela glitch detected on MJD 57734 with a healing factor $Q=5.8\times 10^{-3}$. Further, we report the largest glitch ($Δν/ν= 3147.9 \times 10^{-9}$) so far in PSR J1731$-$4744.

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arXiv2019

Multi-frequency scatter broadening evolution of pulsars - II. Scatter broadening of nearby pulsars

We present multi-frequency scatter broadening evolution of 29 pulsars observed with the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) and Long Wavelength Array (LWA). We conducted new observations using LOFAR Low Band Antennae (LBA) as well as utilized the archival data from LOFAR and LWA. This study has increased the total of all multi-frequency or wide-band scattering measurements up to a dispersion measure (DM) of 150~pc\,cm$^{-3}$ by 60\%. The scatter broadening timescale ($τ_{sc}$) measurements at different frequencies are often combined by scaling them to a common reference frequency of 1\,GHz. Using our data, we show that the $τ_{sc}$--DM variations are best fitted for reference frequencies close to 200--300\,MHz, and scaling to higher or lower frequencies results in significantly more scatter in data. We suggest that this effect might indicate a frequency dependence of the scatter broadening scaling index ($α$). However, a selection bias due to our chosen observing frequencies can not be ruled out with the current data set. Our data did not favour any particular model of the DM -- $τ_{sc}$ relations, and we do not see a statistically significant break at the low DM range in this relation. The turbulence spectral index ($β$) is found to be steeper than that is expected from a Kolmogorov spectrum. This indicates that the local ISM turbulence may have a low wave-number cutoff or presence of large scale inhomogeneities in the line of sight to some of the reported pulsars.

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arXiv2018

A Search for Pulsars in Steep Spectrum Radio Sources

We report on a time-domain search for pulsars in 44 steep spectrum radio sources originally identified from recent imaging surveys. The time-domain search was conducted at 327 MHz using the Ooty radio telescope, and utilized a semi-coherent dedispersion scheme retaining the sensitivity even for sub-millisecond periods up to reasonably high dispersion measures. No new pulsars were found. We discuss the nature of these steep spectrum sources and argue that majority of the sources in our sample should either be pulsars or a new category of Galactic sources. Several possibilities that could hinder detection of these sources as pulsars, including anomalously high scattering or alignment of the rotation and magnetic axes, are discussed in detail, and we suggest unconventional search methods to further probe these possibilities.

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arXiv2018

Timing Offset Calibration of CZTI instrument aboard ASTROSAT

The radio as well as the high energy emission mechanism in pulsars is yet not understood properly. A multi-wavelength study is likely to help in better understanding of such processes. The first Indian space-based observatory, ASTROSAT, has five instruments aboard, which cover the electromagnetic spectrum from infra-red (1300 $Å$) to hard X-ray (380 KeV). Cadmium Zinc Telluride Imager (CZTI), one of the five instruments is a hard X-ray telescope functional over an energy range of 20-380 KeV. We aim to estimate the timing offset introduced in the data acquisition pipeline of the instrument, which will help in time alignment of high energy time series with those from two other ground-based observatories, viz. the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT) and the Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT). PSR B0531+21 is a well-studied pulsar with nearly aligned radio and hard X-ray pulse profiles. We use simultaneous observations of this pulsar with the ASTROSAT, the ORT and the GMRT. The pulsar was especially observed using the ORT with almost daily cadence to obtain good timing solutions. We also supplement the ORT data with archival FERMI data for estimation of timing noise. The timing offset of ASTROSAT instruments was estimated from fits to arrival time data at the ASTROSAT and the radio observatories. We estimate the offset between the GMRT and the ASTROSAT-CZTI to be -4716 $\pm$ 50 $μs$. The corresponding offset with the ORT was -29639 $\pm$ 50 $μs$. The offsets between the GMRT and Fermi-LAT -5368 $\pm$ 56 $μs$. (Abridged)

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arXiv2017

Detection of radio emission from the gamma-ray pulsar J1732-3131 at 327 MHz

Although originally discovered as a radio-quiet gamma-ray pulsar, J1732-3131 has exhibited intriguing detections at decameter wavelengths. We report an extensive follow-up of the pulsar at 327 MHz with the Ooty radio telescope. Using the previously observed radio characteristics, and with an effective integration time of 60 hrs, we present a detection of the pulsar at a confidence level of 99.82%. The 327 MHz mean flux density is estimated to be 0.5-0.8 mJy, which establishes the pulsar to be a steep spectrum source and one of the least-luminous pulsars known to date. We also phase-aligned the radio and gamma-ray profiles of the pulsar, and measured the phase-offset between the main peaks in the two profiles to be 0.24$\pm$0.06. We discuss the observed phase-offset in the context of various trends exhibited by the radio-loud gamma-ray pulsar population, and suggest that the gamma-ray emission from J1732-3131 is best explained by outer magnetosphere models. Details of our analysis leading to the pulsar detection, and measurements of various parameters and their implications relevant to the pulsar's emission mechanism are presented.

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arXiv2017

Multi-frequency scatter broadening evolution of pulsars - I

We present multi-wavelength scatter broadening observations of 47 pulsars, made with the Giant Metre-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT), Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT) and Long Wavelength Array (LWA). The GMRT observations have been made in the phased array mode at 148, 234, and 610 MHz and the ORT observations at 327 MHz. The LWA data sets have been obtained from the LWA pulsar data archive. The broadening of each pulsar as a function of observing frequency provides the frequency scaling index, $α$. The estimations of $α$ have been obtained for 39 pulsars, which include entirely new estimates for 31 pulsars. This study increases the total sample of pulsars available with $α$ estimates by $\sim$50\%. The overall distribution of $α$ with the dispersion measure (DM) of pulsar shows interesting variations, which are consistent with the earlier studies. However, for a given value of DM a range of $α$ values are observed, indicating the characteristic turbulence along each line of sight. For each pulsar, the estimated level of turbulence, $C^{2}_{n_e}$, has also been compared with $α$ and DM. Additionally, we compare the distribution of $α$ with the theoretically predicated model to infer the general characteristics of the ionized interstellar medium (ISM). Nearly 65\% of the pulsars show a flatter index (i.e., $α< 4.4$) than that is expected from the Kolmogorov turbulence model. Moreover, the group of pulsars having flatter index is typically associated with an enhanced value of $C^{2}_{n_e}$ than those with steeper index.

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arXiv2016

Radio Pulsation Search and Imaging Study of SGR J1935+2154

We present the results obtained from imaging observations, and search for radio pulsations towards the magnetar SGR J1935+2154 made using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, and the Ooty Radio Telescope. We present the high resolution radio image of the supernova remnant (SNR) G57.2+0.8, which is positionally associated with SGR J1935+2154. We did not detect significant periodic radio pulsations from the magnetar, with 8$σ$ upper limits on its flux density of 0.4, and 0.2 mJy at 326.5, and 610 MHz, respectively, for an assumed duty cycle of 10\%. The corresponding 6$σ$ upper limits at the two frequencies for any burst emission with an assumed width of 10 ms are 0.5 Jy, and 63 mJy, respectively. No continuum radio point source was detected at the position of SGR J1935+2154 with a 3$σ$ upper limit of 1.2 mJy. We also did not detect significant diffuse radio emission in a radius of 70 arc seconds in coincidence with the diffuse X-ray emission reported recently, with a 3$σ$ upper limit of 4.5 mJy. Using the archival HI spectra, we estimate the distance of SNR G57.2+0.8 to be 11.7 $\pm$ 2.8 kpc. Based on measured HI column density (N$_H$) along this line of sight, we argue that the magnetar could be physically associated with SNR G57.2+0.8. Based on present data, we can not rule out either a pulsar wind nebula or a dust scattering halo origin for the diffuse X-ray emission seen around the magnetar.

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arXiv2015

Scatter broadening measurements of 124 pulsars at 327 MHz

We present the measurements of scatter broadening time-scales ($τ_{sc}$) for 124 pulsars at 327 MHz, using the upgraded Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT). These pulsars lie in the dispersion measure range of 37 $-$ 503 pc cm$^{-3}$ and declination ($δ$) range of $-$57$^{\circ} < δ< 60^{\circ}$. New $τ_{sc}$ estimates for 58 pulsars are presented, increasing the sample of all such measurements by about 40% at 327 MHz. Using all available $τ_{sc}$ measurements in the literature, we investigate the dependence of $τ_{sc}$ on dispersion measure. Our measurements, together with previously reported values for $τ_{sc}$, affirm that the ionized interstellar medium upto 3 kpc is consistent with Kolmogorov spectrum, while it deviates significantly beyond this distance.

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