PSRCHIVE: Pulsar Data Archival and Analysis Software

Brief description

PSRCHIVE is an open-source, object-oriented, scientific data analysis software library and application suite for pulsar astronomy. It implements an extensive range of general-purpose algorithms for use in data calibration and integration, statistical analysis and modeling, and data visualization. These are utilized by a variety of applications specialized for tasks such as pulsar timing, polarimetry, radio frequency interference mitigation, and pulse variability studies.

Full description

PSRCHIVE was designed to increase the portability of both algorithms and data. The software is managed using an open-source distributed version control system and installed and compiled using a cross-platform build system. It is able to read astronomical data in a number of different file formats, including PSRFITS, a standard data storage format developed by the Australia Telescope National Facility, Swinburne University of Technology, and National Radio Astronomy Observatory; EPN, the file format of the European Pulsar Network; as well as a number of other custom file formats used at different observatories.

Related Publications:

• PSRCHIVE and PSRFITS: an open approach to radio pulsar data storage and analysis-high-level overview of software and its design
• Pulsar data analysis with PSRCHIVE-review of functionality, including detailed usage examples and directions to sample data

Related Websites:

• GNU automake, autoconf, and libtool - cross-platform build system used to compile and install PSRCHIVE

• Git software configuration management - distributed version control system used to manage PSRCHIVE source code

Related Data Collections:

Parkes observations for project P140: semester 1994AUGT - 2010OCTS (42 Collections)

PSRCHIVE can be used for any pulsar data.

How to Cite this Service:

Hotan, A., van Straten, W., Manchester, R. N. (2004). PSRCHIVE and PSRFITS: an open approach to radio pulsar data storage and analysis