Generalized Nonlinear Bayesian Pulsar Timing with ENTERPRISE

Journal article

We use the Bayesian methods in the ENTERPRISE package to examine the fully general parameterization of pulsar timing models in tandem with noise. We investigate four pulsars, PSRs J1600–3053, J2043+1711, J0740+6620, and J1640+2224, through the lens of Bayesian timing. We selected these pulsars as they are well studied but exhibit interesting characteristics through the lens of Bayesian timing. We generally find good agreement between best-fit and maximum a posteriori values, and in many cases more constrained parameter estimations, when comparing our method to various other Bayesian and frequentist generalized timing methods. We find tighter constraints on the estimated pulsar mass for three pulsars when using NANOGrav 12.5 yr data releases as compared to their published results. These constraints (medians and 68% confidence intervals) for our fully general nonlinear Bayesian timing models are mp = 1.6(1) M⊙ for PSR J2043+1711 and mp=2.3−0.7+0.9M⊙ for PSR J1600–3053 both using the NANOGrav 12.5 yr data release, and mp = 2.06(6) M⊙ for PSR J0740+6620 using the data from E. Fonseca et al. We investigate the effects of placing physical priors on timing model parameters, including restricting the upper limit on the pulsar mass for PSR J1640+2224, which has a mass often estimated to be greater than 3 M⊙. We find that this results in a pulsar mass of mp = 2.2(5) M⊙for PSR J1640+2224 using the NANOGrav 12.5 yr data release. For the first time, we find evidence for intrinsic red noise in PSR J2043+1711. We show how fully general Bayesian timing can better model the interplay of the intrinsic noise and the timing parameters.

Authors: Kaiser, AR; Hazboun, JS; McLaughlin, MA; Cromartie, HT; Fonseca, E

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: American Astronomical Society
• Journal: The Astrophysical Journal More from this journal
• Volume: 1010
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 4-4
• Publication date: 2026-10-01
• DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ae99e3
• EISSN: 1538-4357
• ISSN: 0004-637X
• Language: English
• Keywords: physical priors; timing noise; pulsar timing; NANOGrav; PSR J0740+6620