Limits to the Stability of Pulsar Time

Abstract

The regularity of the rotation rate of millisecond pulsars is the underlying hypothesis for using these neutron stars as "celestial clocks". Given their remote location in our galaxy and to our lack of precise knowledge on the galactic environment, a number of phenomena affect the apparent rotation rate observed on earth. This paper reviews these phenomena and estimates the order of magnitude of their effect. It concludes that an ensemble pulsar time based on a number of selected millisecond pulsars should have a fractional frequency stability close to 2 x 10(-15) for an averaging time of a few years.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1995
Accession Number
ADA502306

Entities

People

  • Gerard Petit

Organizations

  • International Bureau of Weights and Measures

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Angle Of Arrival
  • Doppler Effect
  • Emission
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Standards
  • Gravity Waves
  • Instability
  • Measurement
  • Observation
  • Outer Planets
  • Planets
  • Power Spectra
  • Precession
  • Rotation
  • Solar System
  • Standards
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics.
  • Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology.
  • Systems Analysis and Design