Nancay radiotelescope as part of the international Pulsar Timing campaigns

TL;DR

The Nancay radiotelescope has been used for high-precision pulsar timing for over 20 years, contributing to multi-wavelength studies and gravitational wave research through the European Pulsar Timing Array.

Contribution

This paper details the long-term use and capabilities of the Nancay radiotelescope in pulsar timing, highlighting its role in multi-wavelength and gravitational wave research.

Findings

Successful timing of over 200 pulsars

Contribution to gravitational wave background studies

Enhanced observational efficiency with new instrumentation

Abstract

Nancay radiotelescope is involved in high precision timing since 20 years. Since 2004, a coherent dedispersion instrumentation enables numerous routine observations on more than 200 pulsars using half of the time if this 100-meters class radiotelescope. Two main programs are currently conducted. A large set of young and old pulsars is timed for a multi-wavelength approach, complementary to the very successful high energy observations of pulsars done by FERMI. A set of highly stable millisecond pulsars is monitored as our contribution to the European Pulsar Timing Array in order to probe the cosmological Gravitational Wave Background.