GUPPI: Green Bank Ultimate Pulsar Processing Instrument
Abstract
The high precision radio pulsar timing required for gravitational wave detection experiments (like NANOGrav) and gravitational theory or neutron star equation-of-state tests demands that pulse phase be measured to precisions of 0.01% of the pulse period, or tens to hundreds of nano-seconds for millisecond pulsars (MSPs). This requirement means high precision instrumentation. At NRAO we are developing a state-of-the-art pulsar backend called GUPPI for these scientific problems. GUPPI provides wide bandwidth (up to 800 MHz), high dynamic range (8-bit sampling), substantially improved interference resistance (compared to all other GBT pulsar instruments), and full polarization capabilities. Currently it is being commissioned as a fully supported facility instrument for the GBT in a digital filterbank (i.e. incoherent dedispersion) mode. Within the next six months full coherent dedispersion capabilities are planned.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #214
- Pub Date:
- December 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AAS...21460508R