GBT24A-201

A Deep Search for Radio Pulsars in Faint and Compact Steep-spectrum Sources

Abstract

Sensitive all sky imaging surveys have been uncovering interesting new sources, including ones with steep spectra that are strong candidates for interesting galactic as well as extra-galactic sources. A good fraction of the steep spectrum sources that are of Galactic origin are expected to be radio pulsars, some of which potentially also as parts of exotic binary systems or surrounded by dense environments. With the primary motivations of finding new interesting pulsars as well as to characterize the compact steep spectrum sources at a population level, we propose to observe a sample of 28 sources at 820 MHz using the GBT. The compact steep spectrum sources in the sample have been selected based on a thorough analysis of images from the TGSS, RACS and NVSS all sky surveys. Despite their steep spectra and relatively low flux densities, the sources are well suited to be detected at 820 MHz in reasonably deep observations, with sensitivity to even reasonably distant millisecond pulsars. We request for 17.25 hours of the telescope time at 820 MHz to conduct deep search for radio pulsars in these compact steep-spectrum sources.

Investigators

Name	Institution
Yogesh Maan *	Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
Yash Bhusare	Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
Banshi Lal	Tata Institute of Fundamental Research

* indicates the PI