In-flight Timing Calibration of the Follow-up X-Ray Telescope on Board the Einstein Probe

Abstract

After the launch of Einstein Probe (EP), pulsars are observed to calibrate the timing system of the onboard Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT) by measuring the times of arrival (TOAs). FXT has two independently operating modules, namely FXTA and FXTB, each equipped with the Wolter-I optics and the pnCCD camera. For scientific observations, each pnCCD has three distinct readout modes that differ in frame cycles, the full frame mode (FF, 50 ms per frame), the partial windowed mode (PW, 2.2 ms per frame), and the timing mode (TM, 23.68 $\mu$s per row, 9.4352 ms per frame). Thus, 1RXS J170849.0--400910 with the spin period of 11 s is observed in FF, PSR B1509--58 (150 ms) in PW, and Crab pulsar (33 ms) in TM as well as PSR B1821--24 (3.05 ms) and PSR B1937+21 (1.56 ms). The TOAs of these pulsars measured by FXTA and FXTB are compared with the results of NICER, and for Crab pulsar with the Jodrell Bank Monthly Ephemeris (JBE). Results verify that the timing system of FXTA and FXTB in FF, PW, and TM modes are consistent with each other, and are in good alignment with NICER. The measured advance of the Crab pulsar's main peak relative to JBE is $357_{\pm 54(sys)}^{\pm 14(stat)}\mu$s in FXTA and $394_{\pm 67(sys)}^{\pm 14(stat)}\mu$s in FXTB. Based on measurements of PSR B1821--24 and PSR B1937+21, the preliminary absolute timing accuracy is estimated to be 6 $\mu$s for FXTA and 31 $\mu$s for FXTB in TM mode. Additionally, the systematic delay of FXTA timing results relative to FXTB is found to be $20_{\pm 21(sys)}^{\pm 19(stat)}\mu$s.

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