tempo2

tempo2 sits in the timing-analysis stage after TOAs have already been generated.

If pat is the step that produces TOAs, tempo2 is the step that uses those TOAs together with a timing model to analyse residuals.

Minimal inputs

• .par: the timing model
• .tim: the TOA file

PSRUI's current TOA tab can produce text that is suitable for entering this stage, but it does not yet complete the full timing-residual workflow for you.

Simple example

tempo2 -f J0437.par J0437.tim
tempo2 -gr plk -f J0437.par J0437.tim

The first is the minimal entry point. The second shows the plugin-oriented design of tempo2, where different -gr values select different graphical or output modes.

What to remember

• tempo2 is about timing models and residuals
• .tim alone is not enough; you still need a .par
• generating tempo2-format TOAs does not mean the residual-analysis workflow is finished

PSRUI today: the GUI can run pat and export tempo2-format TOAs. Full tempo2 residual plotting remains on the roadmap.

Common pitfalls

• treating pat output as the final tempo2 result
• focusing only on TOA text while ignoring problems in the timing model itself
• expecting PSRUI to already render residuals versus epoch or frequency, which it does not yet do

Further reading

• Tempo2 User Manual
• pat / pac