GPPS home

The Galactic Plane Pulsar Snapshot (GPPS) survey

by using the FAST

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Tetelscope (FAST) has the largest collecting area for radio waves, with an illumination area of 300m in diatemter and the aperture efficiency about 60%. Amounted with the 19-beam L-band (1000 - 1500MHz) receivers which have with a system temperature of about 20 K at the primary focus, it is the most sensitive radio telescope over the world. It has excellent performance on pointing, with an uncertainty of less than 8 arcseconds in general (see Jiang et al 2019), and can track a source for a few hours with a full gain in a zenith angle of less than 26 degree. This can further improve the sensitivity with integration time.


Fig.1: The four steps of beam-switching for the 19 beams of the L-band receivers of the FAST can completely cover a sky area for a survey.

Considering that the 19-beam receiver can be slightly moved in the beam-switching mode, every step of such beam-switching costs only or 20 seconds, we therefore designed and successfully tested the snapshot mode in March 2019 so that the four steps of small movements of the feeds make the four pointings which make observations to completely cover a sky area of 0.157 square degree, as seen in Fig.1.

Based on this high efficiency snapshot mode observations, during the risk-share open session of the FAST in 2019, we designed the the Galactic Plane Pulsar Snapshot (GPPS) survey . The goal of the GPPS survey is to make the most sensitive pulsar survey on the Galactic plane in +-5 degree of the Galactic latitudes initially and later extend to +-10 degree. The integration time for each pointing is 5 minutes (i.e. 300 seconds). A cover can be surveyed by the 4 pointings made by the beam-switching, which costs 21 minutes in total, including 4*5 minutes for pointing plus 3*20 seconds for beam-switching. It is expected to discover about 1000 pulsars in this sky region visible by the FAST. The best wishes include the discovery of pulsars with extremely short rotating periods or extremely short orbit periods if they are in binary.

We carried out a series of test observations. Initial efforts were dedicated to examine the data acquisition system and test the pointing accuracy, and to design the data convert software. We designed and later continuously improved the pipelines for data-processing. We obtained the some pulsar discoveries in 2019. At the end of 2019, the GPPS project has been officially accepted by the Science Committee of the FAST, as one of five hi-priority major projects of the FAST.


Fig.2: The pulsar distribution in the sky and the Galactic plane visible to the FAST.

In 2020, extensive observations have been made (see Fig.2), and we have already detected several hundreds of known pulsars, and have discovered pulsars in the following table.

Table 1: New discoveries of pulsars by the GPPS survey
gppsName gppsNo Period (s) DM RA
J2000
DEC
J2000
DiscoveryObs
Date
ConfirmObs
Date
PubOnWeb
Date
PubName or Notes
J1901+0659_gpps0001 0001 0.07573 126.2 19:01:26 06:59 20190321 20191110, 20200420 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1924+1923_gpps0002 0002 0.68924 386.7 19:24:24 19:23 20190327 20191110 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1904+0823_gpps0003 0003 0.37694 60.4 19:04:43 08:23 20200421 20200915 20200928
J1936+2041_gpps0004 0004 0.06047 193.8 19:36:28 20:41 20200222 20200830, 20200910 20200928
J1838+0046_gpps0005 0005 2.20317 229.6 18:38:10 00:46 20191009 20200203, 20200405, 20200415, 20200811, 20200827 20200928
J1924+1933_gpps0006 0006 0.38886 280.3 19:24:48 19:33 20190327 20191110, 20200204 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1925+1628_gpps0007 0007 0.00411 214.1 19:25:07 16:28 20191121 20200204 20200928
J1905+0655_gpps0008 0008 0.35881 23.0 19:05:48 06:55 20190923 20200205, 20200418, 20200607, 20200826, 20200914 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1904+0854_gpps0009 0009 0.00619 195.1 19:04:50 08:54 20190917 20200205 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1857+0214_gpps0010 0010 0.33389 986.3 18:57:09 02:14 20191009 20200212, 20200822 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1947+2006_gpps0011 0011 0.00817 127.4 19:47:58 20:06 20190923 20200204, 20200212 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1917+1258_gpps0012 0012 0.00563 117.0 19:17:21 12:58 20191014 20200208, 20200212 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1930+1403_gpps0013 0013 0.00321 150.5 19:30:15 14:03 20191121 20200206, 20200401 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1852+0056_gpps0014 0014 1.17779 905.69 18:52:14 00:56 20200303 20200404, 20200819, 20200820, 20200911 20200928
J1859+0430_gpps0015 0015 0.33629 783.81 18:59:10 04:30 20200217 20200402, 20200404, 20200816 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1900+0405_gpps0016 0016 0.07238 634.42 19:00:39 04:05 20200222 20200402, 20200817, 20200907 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1906+0822_gpps0017 0017 0.43344 367.90 19:06:36 08:22 20200427 20200812 20200928
J1850-0021_gpps0018 0018 1.57459 605.35 18:50:08 -00:21 20200225 20200401, 20200402, 20200801, 20200816, 20200819 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J2052+4421_gpps0019 0019 0.37531 547.0 20:52:53 44:21 20200219 20200331, 20200607, 20200812 20200928
J1854+0013_gpps0020 0020 0.00271 204.10 18:54:17 00:13 20200302 20200401 20200928
J1912+1106_gpps0021 0021 0.67071 150.4 19:12:23 11:06 20200425 20200827, 20200910 20200928
J1854-0033_gpps0022 0022 0.36147 617.50 18:54:29 -00:33 20200420 20200909 20200928
J1917+1412_gpps0023 0108 0.44646 123.4 19:17:29 14:12 20200530 20200910 20200928
J1905+0450_gpps0024 0024 0.78330 442.30 19:05:59 04:50 20200426 20200909 20200928
J1927+1856_gpps0025 0025 0.27873 424.2 19:27:01 18:56 20190328 20200401, 20200811 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1855+0139_gpps0026 0026 0.44414 405.55 18:55:13 01:39 20200217 20200404, 20200828 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1849-0013_gpps0027 0027 0.49171 346.59 18:49:26 -00:13 20200225 20200401, 20200402, 20200813, 20200815, 20200816, 20200819 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1901+0712_gpps0028 0028 1.03771 332.4 19:01:29 07:12 20190321 20200607, 20200807 20200928
J1859+0434_gpps0029 0029 0.45834 320.06 18:59:40 04:34 20200217 20200404, 20200815 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1853+0013_gpps0030 0030 0.92853 312.37 18:53:53 00:13 20200302 20200401, 20200904, 20200906, 20200915 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1908+0811_gpps0031 0031 0.18164 300.15 19:08:43 08:11 20200217 20200402, 20200830 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1924+1343_gpps0032 0032 0.00572 98.5 19:24:20 13:43 20200521 20200914 20200928
J1904+0358_gpps0033 0033 0.75154 532.00 19:04:23 03:58 20200529 20200920 20200928
J1914+1029_gpps0034 0034 0.62129 59.73 19:14:22 10:29 20200306 20200821, 20200914 20200928
J1848+0129_gpps0035 0035 0.53402 77.02 18:48:22 01:29 20190323 20190323, 20200811, 20200829 20200928
J1904+0535_gpps0036 0036 0.36224 78.37 19:04:51 05:35 20200327 20200824 20200928
J1904+0519_gpps0037 0037 1.68053 80.79 19:04:07 05:19 20200327 20200827, 20200910 20200928
J1858-0024_gpps0038 0112 0.80131 186.2 18:58:46 -00:24 20200511 20200829, 20200917 20200928
J1904+0554_gpps0039 0039 0.00491 164.20 19:04:15 +05:54 20200219 20200401 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1912+0932_gpps0040 0040 0.44877 143.80 19:12:43 09:32 20200223 20200607, 20200826, 20200830 20200928
J1933+2038_gpps0041 0041 0.04075 302.90 19:33:39 20:38 20200605 20200909 20200928
J1852-0023_gpps0042 0042 0.35545 290.00 18:52:05 -00:23 20200315 20200905 20200928
J1905+0758_gpps0043 0043 1.19276 200.70 19:05:47 07:58 20200304 20200829, 20200911 20200928
J2017+2819_gpps0044 0044 0.91623 66.05 20:17:20 28:19 20190328 20200401, 20200820, 20200914 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J2009+3122_gpps0045 0045 0.07654 144.08 20:09:40 31:22 20200315 20200817 20200928
J1956+2826_gpps0046 0046 0.07179 111.97 19:56:48 28:26 20200330 20200820 20200928
J1924+1509_gpps0047 0047 0.24930 115.60 19:24:00 15:09 20200225 20200824, 20200830 20200928
J1903+0845_gpps0048 0048 0.15314 129.08 19:03:40 08:45 20200329 20200823, 20200905, 20200907 20200928
J1910+1054_gpps0049 0049 0.00387 139.36 19:10:01 10:54 20200315 20200415, 20200824 20200928
J1930+1357_gpps0050 0050 0.32354 186.59 19:30:11 13:57 20191121 20200401, 20200823 20200928
J1837+0032_gpps0051 0051 0.41814 186.90 18:37:37 00:32 20200203 20200821 20200928
J1847+0133_gpps0052 0052 1.42352 193.8 18:47:00 01:33 20200428 20200902, 20200910 20200928
J1926+1631_gpps0053 0053 0.67839 195.06 19:26:24 16:31 20200223 20200818 20200928
J1952+2702_gpps0054 0054 0.00414 213.10 19:52:18 27:02 20200525 20200819 20200928
J1911+0751_gpps0055 0055 0.79691 220.69 19:11:40 07:51 20200424 20200823, 20200825 20200928
J1915+0832_gpps0056 0056 0.38714 46.5 19:15:05 08:32 20200528 20200829 20200928
J1910+1117_gpps0057 0057 1.32152 296.46 19:10:27 11:17 20200530 20200818 20200928
J1926+1452_gpps0058 0058 0.30451 298.06 19:26:54 14:52 20200417 20200816 20200928
J1924+1509_gpps0059 0059 0.23995 296.58 19:24:32 15:09 20200225 20200824 20200928
J1917+1122_gpps0060 0060 0.51031 303.53 19:17:26 11:22 20200308 20200813 20200928
J1855+0513_gpps0061 0061 1.42147 307.50 18:55:05 05:13 20200428 20200820 20200928
J1929+1615_gpps0062 0062 0.04460 308.70 19:29:36 16:15 20200306 20200815 20200928
J1900+0213_gpps0063 0063 0.03209 310.50 19:00:12 02:13 20200528 20200820 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1952+2836_gpps0064 0064 0.01802 313.00 19:52:48 28:36 20200104 20200808 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1936+1952_gpps0065 0065 0.00972 325.03 19:36:00 19:52 20200224 20200822 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1859+0026_gpps0066 0066 0.00857 334.09 18:59:58 00:26 20200513 20200812, 20200822 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1856+0615_gpps0067 0067 0.32697 333.10 18:56:39 06:15 20200511 20200806 20200928
J1853+0312_gpps0068 0068 0.43809 345.02 18:53:14 03:12 20200509 20200818 20200928
J1855+0455_gpps0069 0069 0.10101 372.88 18:55:15 04:55 20200428 20200813 20200928
J1858+0609_gpps0070 0070 0.48435 381.50 18:58:09 06:09 20200511 20200819 20200928
J1913+0804_gpps0071 0071 0.45555 339.2 19:13:53 08:04 20200529 20200902, 20200902 20200928
J1857+0224_gpps0072 0072 0.87595 401.00 18:57:08 02:24 20200302 20200822 20200928
J1903+0534_gpps0073 0073 0.35765 407.73 19:03:29 05:34 20200512 20200812 20200928
J1928+1809_gpps0074 0074 0.29446 431.14 19:28:06 18:09 20200303 20200811 20200928
J1856+0011_gpps0075 0075 0.46415 455.82 18:56:47 00:11 20200422 20200807 20200928
J2022+3845_gpps0076 0076 1.00890 487.50 20:22:11 38:45 20200325 20200808 20200928
J2005+3411_gpps0077 0077 0.65105 489.00 20:05:43 34:11 20200419 20200808 20200928
J1921+1505_gpps0078 0078 0.61190 519.90 19:21:24 15:05 20200512 20200812 20200928
J1904+0416_gpps0079 0079 0.23145 521.00 19:04:04 04:16 20200529 20200807 20200928
J1859+0127_gpps0080 0080 0.27364 531.69 18:59:11 01:27 20200322 20200815 20200928
J1918+1340_gpps0081 0081 0.23299 575.87 19:18:53 13:40 20200303 20200807 20200928
J1911+0939_gpps0082 0082 0.36547 597.30 19:11:38 09:39 20200330 20200820 20200928
J1852+0159_gpps0083 0083 0.18573 607.51 18:52:43 01:59 20200306 20200812 20200928
J1849+0036_gpps0084 0084 0.39649 611.50 18:49:27 00:36 20200304 20200806 20200928
J2051+4435_gpps0085 0085 1.30316 616.02 20:51:26 44:35 20200331 20200808 20200928
J1920+1515_gpps0086 0086 1.60276 655.50 19:20:22 15:15 20200512 20200531, 20200811 20200928
J2021+4024_gpps0087 0087 0.37054 680.50 20:21:10 40:24 20200417 20200810, 20200812 20200928
J1921+1341_gpps0088 0088 2.30182 754.93 19:21:30 13:41 20200327 20200808, 20200909 20200928
J1853+0022_gpps0089 0089 0.57686 203.27 18:53:08 00:22 20190825 20191014, 20200405, 20200418, 20200827 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1903+0433_gpps0090 0090 2.81011 202.6 19:03:17 +04:33 20200330 20200422, 20200829, 20200911 20200928
J1859+0238_gpps0091 0091 0.05611 250.90 18:59:20 02:38 20200221 20200607, 20200825 20200928
J1906+0647_gpps0092 0092 0.35552 290.46 19:06:19 06:47 20190923 20200402, 20200418, 20200607, 20200825, 20200826, 20200905, 20200907, 20200914 20200928
J1849+0001_gpps0093 0093 0.52560 189.41 18:49:23 00:01 20200225 20200415, 20200801, 20200813, 20200902 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1858+0028_gpps0094 0094 1.57085 415.31 18:58:09 00:28 20200422 20200426 20200928
J1850+0011_gpps0095 0095 0.18834 506.48 18:50:07 00:11 20200321 20200415, 20200801 20200928
J1849+0009_gpps0096 0096 0.65915 501.46 18:49:40 00:09 20200321 20200415, 20200902 20200928
J1849-0003_gpps0097 0097 0.89336 543.9 18:49:59 -00:03 20200225 20200415, 20200813, 20200902 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1852-0002_gpps0098 0098 0.24510 558.11 18:52:10 -00:02 20200315 20200404 20200928
J1921+1258_gpps0099 0099 0.57316 366.29 19:21:18 12:58 20200329 20200428, 20200526 20200928
J1903+0839_gpps0100 0100 0.00462 166.50 19:03:52 08:39 20200329 20200823, 20200905 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1903+0850_gpps0101 0101 0.61595 78.9 19:03:09 08:50 20200803 20200905, 20200907 20200928
J1906+0756_gpps0102 0102 0.05719 79.0 19:06:41 07:56 20200306 20200827, 20200911, 20200917 20200928
J1852+0018_gpps0103 0103 0.31876 452.0 18:52:27 00:18 20190825 20200826, 20200915 20200928
J1904+0836_gpps0104 0104 0.00444 90.5 19:04:35 08:36 20200329 20200902, 20200914 20200928
J2045+3631_gpps0105 0105 0.00873 107.1 20:45:01 36:31 20200404 20200907 20200928
J2140+4739_gpps0106 0106 0.55704 138.9 21:40:01 47:39 20200122 20200907 20200928
J1838+0022_gpps0107 0107 0.00509 122.6 18:38:24 00:22 20200821 20200909 20200928

You are very welcome to use the GPPS data for your studies or study the GPPS pulsars.

If you want to such a study, or even if you have any data coincidentally for the new pulsars we have just discovered,
please do contact us to avoid any conflict of interest.


The GPPS survey team consists of Prof. JinLin Han (PI, hjl@nao.cas.cn, NAOC),
Chen Wang (NAOC), PengFei Wang (NAOC), Tao Wang (NAOC),
DeJiang Zhou (NAOC), Xue Chen (NAOC), Yi Yan (NAOC), WeiCong Jing (NAOC), WeiQi Su (NAOC),
Peng Jiang (NAOC), JingHai Sun (NAOC), DongJun Yu (NAOC),
RenXin Xu (PKU), KJ Lee (PKU), JinChen Jiang (PKU), YunPeng Men (PKU),
Heng Xu (PKU), ChunFeng Zhang (PKU), BoJun Wang (PKU), JiangWei Xu (PKU),
HongGuang Wang (GZU), WenJun Huang (GZU),
XiaoPeng You (SWU),
JianPing Yuan (XAO), Rai Yuen (XAO), JinTao Xie (XAO), ShuangQiang Wang (XAO).