GBT24A-396

Continuing a Pilot GBT Pulsar Survey of the Galactic Plane

Abstract

We propose to continue a pilot pulsar survey of the Galactic plane in a 25 square-deg region (5deg<=l<=10deg, 5<=b<= 10deg). We optimistically expect to discover 14+/-3 new pulsars in this pilot project, making it a worthwhile endeavor in its own right. We have an additional goal of empirically validating simulations suggesting that a larger GBT L-Band Galactic plane survey could discover ~500 new pulsars, ~50 of which would be millisecond pulsars. If these estimates are accurate then such a pulsar survey would be among the most successful ever performed, but radio frequency interference and other difficult-to-model effects are likely to reduce the actual yield, perhaps substantially. The pilot program that we propose here will allow us to confidently and optimally design a future large survey. We have thus far collected 1.5 hours of survey data, which has allowed us to test our data reduction pipeline. Continuing the pilot survey, and eventually completing a larger survey, will help to answer many outstanding questions in pulsar astronomy.

Investigators

Name	Institution
Ryan Lynch *	Green Bank Observatory
Gabriella Agazie	West Virginia University; Wisconsin at Milwaukee, University of
David Kaplan	Wisconsin at Milwaukee, University of
Megan DeCesar	George Mason University
Benetge Perera	National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center ; West Virginia University; Florida, University of Central
Scott Ransom	National Radio Astronomy Observatory; Virginia, University of
Timothy Dolch	Cornell University; Oberlin College; Hillsdale College
Alexander McEwen	Wisconsin at Milwaukee, University of
Emilie Parent	Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio
Olivia Young	Rochester Institute of Technology; West Virginia University
Shawaiz Tabassum	West Virginia University
Vicky Kaspi	McGill University
Jim Cordes	Cornell University
Shami Chatterjee	Cornell University
Fronefield Crawford	Franklin and Marshall College
Joeri van Leeuwen	Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy
William Fiore	British Columbia, University of; West Virginia University
Rahul Sengar	Wisconsin at Milwaukee, University of; Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik

* indicates the PI