Probing with Radio Pulsars - II

AST-9988217

Wolszczan, Aleksander

In this project radio pulsars are used as probes to find and study extra-solar planets, relativistic gravitational effects, the properties of the interstellar medium between the Earth and pulsar, and the structure and magnetospheres of rapidly rotating neutron stars. The work is conducted at the NSF-funded Arecibo radio observatory and other facilities using specialized receiving and analysis equipment designed by the PI. Five areas are being pursued: (1) timing studies of the pulsar PSR B1257+12 to determine the physical properties of its planetary system; (2) studies of gravitational radiation using timing studies of the pulsar PSR B1534+12; (3) a survey to find the fastest and slowest rotating pulsars; (4) detailed timing studies of millisecond pulsars; and (5) weekly monitoring of ~100 of the brightest pulsars for glitches and planetary anomalies.

Funding for this project was provided by the NSF program for Stellar Astronomy & Astrophysics (SAA).

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