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 of the Galactic plane 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. Radio frequency interference (RFI) has been excused various method, such as ArPLS-ST. We discovered some pulsars 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
Name gppsNo Period (s) DM RA
J2000
DEC
J2000
DiscoveryObs
Date
ConfirmObs
Date
PubOnWeb
Date
PubName or Notes
J1901+0659g gpps0001 0.07573 126.2 19:01:26 06:59 20190321 20191110, 20200420 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1924+1923g gpps0002 0.68924 386.7 19:24:24 19:23 20190327 20191110 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1904+0823g gpps0003 0.37694 60.4 19:04:43 08:23 20200421 20200915 20200928
J1936+2041g gpps0004 0.06047 193.8 19:36:28 20:41 20200222 20200830, 20200910 20200928
J1838+0046g gpps0005 2.20317 229.6 18:38:10 00:46 20191009 20200203, 20200405, 20200415, 20200811, 20200827 20200928
J1924+1933g gpps0006 0.38886 280.3 19:24:48 19:33 20190327 20191110, 20200204 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1925+1628g gpps0007 0.00411 214.1 19:25:07 16:28 20191121 20200204 20200928
J1905+0655g gpps0008 0.35881 23.0 19:05:48 06:55 20190923 20200205, 20200418, 20200607, 20200826, 20200914 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1904+0854g gpps0009 0.00619 195.1 19:04:50 08:54 20190917 20200205 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1857+0214g gpps0010 0.33389 986.3 18:57:09 02:14 20191009 20200212, 20200822 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1947+2006g gpps0011 0.00817 127.4 19:47:58 20:06 20190923 20200204, 20200212 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1917+1258g gpps0012 0.00563 117.0 19:17:21 12:58 20191014 20200208, 20200212 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1930+1403g gpps0013 0.00321 150.5 19:30:15 14:03 20191121 20200206, 20200401 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1852+0056g gpps0014 1.17779 905.69 18:52:14 00:56 20200303 20200404, 20200819, 20200820, 20200911 20200928
J1859+0430g gpps0015 0.33629 783.81 18:59:10 04:30 20200217 20200402, 20200404, 20200816 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1900+0405g gpps0016 0.07238 634.42 19:00:39 04:05 20200222 20200402, 20200817, 20200907 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1906+0822g gpps0017 0.43344 367.90 19:06:36 08:22 20200427 20200812 20200928
J1850-0021g gpps0018 1.57459 605.35 18:50:08 -00:21 20200225 20200401, 20200402, 20200801, 20200816, 20200819 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J2052+4421g gpps0019 0.37531 547.0 20:52:53 44:21 20200219 20200331, 20200607, 20200812 20200928
J1854+0013g gpps0020 0.00271 204.10 18:54:17 00:13 20200302 20200401 20200928
J1912+1106g gpps0021 0.67071 150.4 19:12:23 11:06 20200425 20200827, 20200910 20200928
J1854-0033g gpps0022 0.36147 617.50 18:54:29 -00:33 20200420 20200909 20200928
J1917+1412g gpps0108 0.44646 123.4 19:17:29 14:12 20200530 20200910 20200928
J1905+0450g gpps0024 0.78330 442.30 19:05:59 04:50 20200426 20200909 20200928
J1927+1856g gpps0025 0.27873 424.2 19:27:01 18:56 20190328 20200401, 20200811 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1855+0139g gpps0026 0.44414 405.55 18:55:13 01:39 20200217 20200404, 20200828 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1849-0013g gpps0027 0.49171 346.59 18:49:26 -00:13 20200225 20200401, 20200402, 20200813, 20200815, 20200816, 20200819 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1901+0712g gpps0028 1.03771 332.4 19:01:29 07:12 20190321 20200607, 20200807 20200928
J1859+0434g gpps0029 0.45834 320.06 18:59:40 04:34 20200217 20200404, 20200815 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1853+0013g gpps0030 0.92853 312.37 18:53:53 00:13 20200302 20200401, 20200904, 20200906, 20200915 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1908+0811g gpps0031 0.18164 300.15 19:08:43 08:11 20200217 20200402, 20200830 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1924+1343g gpps0032 0.00572 98.5 19:24:20 13:43 20200521 20200914 20200928
J1904+0358g gpps0033 0.75154 532.00 19:04:23 03:58 20200529 20200920 20200928
J1914+1029g gpps0034 0.62129 59.73 19:14:22 10:29 20200306 20200821, 20200914 20200928
J1848+0129g gpps0035 0.53402 77.02 18:48:22 01:29 20190323 20190323, 20200811, 20200829 20200928
J1904+0535g gpps0036 0.36224 78.37 19:04:51 05:35 20200327 20200824 20200928
J1904+0519g gpps0037 1.68053 80.79 19:04:07 05:19 20200327 20200827, 20200910 20200928
J1858-0024g gpps0038 0.80131 186.2 18:58:46 -00:24 20200511 20200829, 20200917 20200928
J1904+0554g gpps0039 0.00491 164.20 19:04:15 +05:54 20200219 20200401 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1912+0932g gpps0040 0.44877 143.80 19:12:43 09:32 20200223 20200607, 20200826, 20200830 20200928
J1933+2038g gpps0041 0.04075 302.90 19:33:39 20:38 20200605 20200909 20200928
J1852-0023g gpps0042 0.35545 290.00 18:52:05 -00:23 20200315 20200905 20200928
J1905+0758g gpps0043 1.19276 200.70 19:05:47 07:58 20200304 20200829, 20200911 20200928
J2017+2819g gpps0044 1.83246 66.05 20:17:20 28:19 20190328 20200401, 20200820, 20200914 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J2009+3122g gpps0045 0.07654 144.08 20:09:40 31:22 20200315 20200817 20200928
J1956+2826g gpps0046 0.07179 111.97 19:56:48 28:26 20200330 20200820 20200928
J1924+1509g gpps0047 0.24930 115.60 19:24:00 15:09 20200225 20200824, 20200830 20200928
J1903+0845g gpps0048 0.15314 129.08 19:03:40 08:45 20200329 20200823, 20200905, 20200907 20200928
J1910+1054g gpps0049 0.00387 139.36 19:10:01 10:54 20200315 20200415, 20200824 20200928
J1930+1357g gpps0050 0.32354 186.59 19:30:11 13:57 20191121 20200401, 20200823 20200928
J1837+0032g gpps0051 0.41814 186.90 18:37:37 00:32 20200203 20200821 20200928
J1847+0133g gpps0052 1.42352 193.8 18:47:00 01:33 20200428 20200902, 20200910 20200928
J1926+1631g gpps0053 0.67839 195.06 19:26:24 16:31 20200223 20200818 20200928
J1952+2702g gpps0054 0.00414 213.10 19:52:18 27:02 20200525 20200819 20200928
J1911+0751g gpps0055 0.79691 220.69 19:11:40 07:51 20200424 20200823, 20200825 20200928
J1915+0832g gpps0056 0.38714 46.5 19:15:05 08:32 20200528 20200829 20200928
J1910+1117g gpps0057 1.32152 296.46 19:10:27 11:17 20200530 20200818 20200928
J1926+1452g gpps0058 0.30451 298.06 19:26:54 14:52 20200417 20200816 20200928
J1924+1509g gpps0059 0.23995 296.58 19:24:32 15:09 20200225 20200824 20200928
J1917+1122g gpps0060 0.51031 303.53 19:17:26 11:22 20200308 20200813 20200928
J1855+0513g gpps0061 1.42147 307.50 18:55:05 05:13 20200428 20200820 20200928
J1929+1615g gpps0062 0.04460 308.70 19:29:36 16:15 20200306 20200815 20200928
J1900+0213g gpps0063 0.03209 310.50 19:00:12 02:13 20200528 20200820 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1952+2836g gpps0064 0.01802 313.00 19:52:48 28:36 20200104 20200808 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1936+1952g gpps0065 0.00972 325.03 19:36:00 19:52 20200224 20200822 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1859+0026g gpps0066 0.00857 334.09 18:59:58 00:26 20200513 20200812, 20200822 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1856+0615g gpps0067 0.32697 333.10 18:56:39 06:15 20200511 20200806 20200928
J1853+0312g gpps0068 0.43809 345.02 18:53:14 03:12 20200509 20200818 20200928
J1855+0455g gpps0069 0.10101 372.88 18:55:15 04:55 20200428 20200813 20200928
J1858+0609g gpps0070 0.48435 381.50 18:58:09 06:09 20200511 20200819 20200928
J1913+0804g gpps0071 0.45555 339.2 19:13:53 08:04 20200529 20200902, 20200902 20200928
J1857+0224g gpps0072 0.87595 401.00 18:57:08 02:24 20200302 20200822 20200928
J1903+0534g gpps0073 0.35765 407.73 19:03:29 05:34 20200512 20200812 20200928
J1928+1809g gpps0074 0.29446 431.14 19:28:06 18:09 20200303 20200811 20200928
J1856+0011g gpps0075 0.46415 455.82 18:56:47 00:11 20200422 20200807 20200928
J2022+3845g gpps0076 1.00890 487.50 20:22:11 38:45 20200325 20200808 20200928
J2005+3411g gpps0077 0.65105 489.00 20:05:43 34:11 20200419 20200808 20200928
J1921+1505g gpps0078 0.61190 519.90 19:21:24 15:05 20200512 20200812 20200928
J1904+0416g gpps0079 0.23145 521.00 19:04:04 04:16 20200529 20200807 20200928
J1859+0127g gpps0080 0.27364 531.69 18:59:11 01:27 20200322 20200815 20200928
J1918+1340g gpps0081 0.23299 575.87 19:18:53 13:40 20200303 20200807 20200928
J1911+0939g gpps0082 0.36547 597.30 19:11:38 09:39 20200330 20200820 20200928
J1852+0159g gpps0083 0.18573 607.51 18:52:43 01:59 20200306 20200812 20200928
J1849+0036g gpps0084 0.39649 611.50 18:49:27 00:36 20200304 20200806 20200928
J2051+4435g gpps0085 1.30316 616.02 20:51:26 44:35 20200331 20200808 20200928
J1920+1515g gpps0086 1.60276 655.50 19:20:22 15:15 20200512 20200531, 20200811 20200928
J2021+4024g gpps0087 0.37054 680.50 20:21:10 40:24 20200417 20200810, 20200812 20200928
J1921+1341g gpps0088 2.30182 754.93 19:21:30 13:41 20200327 20200808, 20200909 20200928
J1853+0022g gpps0089 0.57686 203.27 18:53:08 00:22 20190825 20191014, 20200405, 20200418, 20200827 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1903+0433g gpps0090 2.81011 202.6 19:03:17 +04:33 20200330 20200422, 20200829, 20200911 20200928
J1859+0238g gpps0091 0.05611 250.90 18:59:20 02:38 20200221 20200607, 20200825 20200928
J1906+0647g gpps0092 0.35552 290.46 19:06:19 06:47 20190923 20200402, 20200418, 20200607, 20200825, 20200826, 20200905, 20200907, 20200914 20200928
J1849+0001g gpps0093 0.52560 189.41 18:49:23 00:01 20200225 20200415, 20200801, 20200813, 20200902 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1858+0028g gpps0094 1.57085 415.31 18:58:09 00:28 20200422 20200426 20200928
J1850+0011g gpps0095 0.18834 506.48 18:50:07 00:11 20200321 20200415, 20200801 20200928
J1849+0009g gpps0096 0.65915 501.46 18:49:40 00:09 20200321 20200415, 20200902 20200928
J1849-0003g gpps0097 0.89336 543.9 18:49:59 -00:03 20200225 20200415, 20200813, 20200902 20200928 timing=JP.Yuan
J1852-0002g gpps0098 0.24510 558.11 18:52:10 -00:02 20200315 20200404 20200928
J1921+1258g gpps0099 0.57316 366.29 19:21:18 12:58 20200329 20200428, 20200526 20200928
J1903+0839g gpps0100 0.00462 166.50 19:03:52 08:39 20200329 20200823, 20200905 20200928 FollowUp=PF.Wang
J1903+0850g gpps0101 0.61595 78.9 19:03:09 08:50 20200803 20200905, 20200907 20200928
J1906+0756g gpps0102 0.05719 79.0 19:06:41 07:56 20200306 20200827, 20200911, 20200917 20200928
J1852+0018g gpps0103 0.31876 452.0 18:52:27 00:18 20190825 20200826, 20200915 20200928
J1904+0836g gpps0104 0.00444 90.5 19:04:35 08:36 20200329 20200902, 20200914 20200928
J2045+3631g gpps0105 0.00873 107.1 20:45:01 36:31 20200404 20200907 20200928
J2140+4739g gpps0106 0.55704 138.9 21:40:01 47:39 20200122 20200907 20200928
J1838+0022g gpps0107 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 and to make proper acknowledgments or citations.


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).

current version: v1.0.2 (2020-09-29)
Old version: v1.0.1 (2020-09-29)
Old version: v1.0.0 (2020-09-28)