RUI: Radio Studies of Pulsars, Gravitation, and the Interstellar Medium

Weisberg博士将在三个领域开展脉冲星研究项目：(i)用双星PSR 1913+16研究相对论引力。这些数据将用于研究双星轨道系统的引力波发射、超长周期引力辐射的宇宙背景、牛顿引力常数的时间变化以及大地自旋进动。测量脉冲星距离和星际介质。这些数据应该能得出脉冲星距离、星际电子密度，以及冷中性氢原子的小尺度结构细节。脉冲星计时和偏振测量。每季度将对大约100颗脉冲星进行监测，以测量脉冲到达时间和发射的偏振特性。这些数据将用于研究脉冲发射机制、小故障、定时噪声、慢闪烁和自由进动。在射电波长观测脉冲星是相对论引力和弥漫星际介质的最佳探测器之一。对脉冲星信号的分析导致了引力辐射存在的第一个实验证明，引力辐射的宇宙背景能量密度的限制，以及星际介质的电子密度和磁场的测量。除了研究脉冲星射电波长发射的内在特性外，韦斯伯格博士还将继续他在相对论引力和星际介质方面备受推崇的研究。该奖项是在美国国家科学基金会本科院校研究（RUI）项目的支持下颁发的。

Dr. Weisberg will carry out a research program on pulsars in three areas: (i) Studies of relativistic gravitation with the binary pulsar PSR 1913+16. The data will be used to study gravitational wave emission from the binary orbiting system, the cosmic background of ultra-long period gravitational radiation, time variation of the Newtonian gravitational constant, and geodetic spin precession. (ii) Measurements of pulsar distances and the interstellar medium. The data should yield pulsar distances, interstellar electron densities, and details of the small-scale structure of cool neutral atomic hydrogen. (iii) A pulsar timing and polarimetry survey. Approximately one hundred pulsars will be monitored quarterly to measure pulse arrival times and polarization properties of the emission. These data will be used to study pulse emission mechanisms, glitches, timing noise, slow scintillations, and free precession. Pulsars observed at radio wavelengths are among the best probes of relativistic gravitation and the diffuse interstellar medium. Analysis of pulsar signals has led to the first experimental proof of the existence of gravitational radiation, limits on the energy density of a cosmic background of gravitational radiation, and measurements of the electron density and magnetic field of the interstellar medium. Dr. Weisberg will continue his highly regarded investigations of relativistic gravitation and the interstellar medium, in addition to studying the intrinsic properties of radio wavelength emissions from pulsars. This award is made under the auspices of the Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) program at the National Science Foundation.