Bayesian Inference for Pulsar Timing Models

Pulsars are valuable tools for studying the physics and astrophysics of compact objects, relativistic dynamics, and gravitational waves. These involve fitting the observed time of arrivals (TOAs) of pulses to complicated timing models that take into account the astrometry of the source, the pulsar's spin frequency and frequency derivative, the presence of a binary companion, and propagation of the pulses through the interstellar medium. In this talk, I will discuss some of the benefits of using Bayesian inference to find these timing solutions, including the incorporation of prior information about pulsar parameters and the ability to compare the total evidence of different timing model. I will conclude by comparing timing solutions generated using Bayesian inference and using traditional linearized least-squares approach.