Fourier domain excision of periodic radio frequency interference

Understand

The discovery and study of pulsars and Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) in time-domain radio data is often hampered by radio frequency interference (RFI).

• Some of this terrestrial RFI is impulsive and bright, and relatively easy to identify and remove.
• Other anthropogenic signals, however, are weaker yet periodic, and their persistence can drown out astrophysical signals.
• Here we show that Fourier-domain excision of periodic RFI is an effective and powerful step in detecting weak cosmic signals.