A LOFAR census of non-recycled pulsars: extending below 80 MHz

TL;DR

This study extends the LOFAR pulsar census to frequencies below 80 MHz, detecting 43 pulsars and providing new flux measurements, which enhance understanding of pulsar spectra at very low frequencies.

Contribution

It presents the first low-frequency (40-78 MHz) observations of non-recycled pulsars, detecting 17 pulsars previously not observed at such frequencies and recalculating their spectral indices.

Findings

Detected 43 pulsars at low frequencies, including 17 new detections.

Recalculated spectral indices using new low-frequency data.

Discussed future prospects with upcoming low-frequency facilities.

Abstract

We present the results from the low-frequency (40--78 MHz) extension of the first LOFAR pulsar census of non-recycled pulsars. We have used the Low-Band Antennas of the LOFAR core stations to observe 87 pulsars out of 158 that have been detected previously with the High-Band Antennas. Forty-three pulsars have been detected and we present here their flux densities and flux-calibrated profiles. Seventeen of these pulsars have not been, to our knowledge, detected before at such low frequencies. We re-calculate the spectral indices using the new low-frequency flux density measurements from the LOFAR census and discuss the prospects of studying pulsars at the very low frequencies with the current and upcoming facilities, such as NenuFAR.