[time-nuts] Time of death-Again

[Hal Murray]

> These pulsars have different rates.  Could one use the relative timing  of
> two or three pulsars? that is, T=0 is when pulsar A, B, and C are
> coincident.  (or is the "beat rate" between them too high to be useful) 

That's an interesting idea...  Thanks.

Let's ignore the problem of communicating the agorithm to non-English 
speakers.

I think there are two problem areas.  Basically, the data isn't integer.  One 
fuzzy area is the period.  The other is measuring an individual pulse.


Suppose you have 2 pulsars that might line up several or many years ago.  
What does that mean?  Suppose you know the periods to N decimal places.  What 
does "line up" mean?  How close do they have to be?

Suppose you only have to go back a few years until things line up.  Then the 
major problem is the uncertainty on an individual pulse.

Suppose you have to go back a zillion years.  Now the fuzz on the period adds 
to the fuzz on measuring an individual pulse.

Mumble.  I'm probably in way over my head at this point.


-- 
These are my opinions, not necessarily my employer's.  I hate spam.