Algorithm of Ensemble Pulsar Time

Abstract

An algorithm of the ensemble pulsar time based on the Wiener filtration method has been constructed. This algorithm has allowed the separation of the contributions of an atomic clock and a pulsar itself to the post-fit pulsar timing residuals. The method has been applied to the timing data of the millisecond pulsars PSR B1855+09 and PSR B1937+21 and allowed the filtering out of the atomic scale component from the pulsar phase variations. Direct comparison of the terrestrial time TT(BIPM96) and the ensemble pulsar time PT$_{\rm ens}$ has displayed that the difference TT(BIPM96) -- PT$_{\rm ens}$ is within $\pm0.4 \mu$s range. A new limit of gravitational wave background based on the difference TT(BIPM96) -- PT$_{\rm ens}$ was established to be $\Omega_g {\rm h}^2\sim 10^{-10}$.