VLBI Astrometry of the Millisecond Pulsar B1937+21

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (9) References (13) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS VLBI Astrometry of the Millisecond Pulsar B1937+21 Dewey, Rachel J. ; Ojeda, Maria Rose ; Gwinn, Carl R. ; Jones, Dayton L. ; Davis, Michael M. Abstract We report the results of astrometric VLBI observations of PSR B1937+21. Observations of the pulsar and a nearby quasar were made at 1.67 GHz, using four antennas: Arecibo, the very large array, and the DSN 70 m antennas in California and Spain. We determine a position of α=19h39m38s.5611±0s.0003 and ρ=21°34'59".118±0.016 for the pulsar in the lERS extragalactic reference frame at epoch 1990.2. The accuracy of our result in right ascension is limited by systematic uncertainties in the ionospheric delay calibration, and larger-than-expected random scatter in the pulsar delays related to interstellar scintillation. The accuracy in declination is limited by the lack of a long north-south baseline in our experiment and the uncertainty of the location of the Arecibo antenna in the lERS celestial reference frame. When compared with the pulsar's timing position [Kaspi, et al., ApJ, 428, 713 (1994)] in the planetary ephemeris reference frame, our result yields a measurement of the offset of the lERS reference frame and the DE200 planetary ephemeris frame of Δα(IERS-DE200)=0.0008±0s0.0003 and Δρ(IERS-DE200)=-0.024±0.016, which is in reasonable agreement with the frame-tie rotation determined by Folkner et al. [ARA&A, 297, 279, (1994)]. Publication: The Astronomical Journal Pub Date: January 1996 DOI: 10.1086/117783 Bibcode: 1996AJ....111..315D Keywords: PULSARS: INDIVIDUAL: B1937+21; ASTROMETRY full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (3)