Search for Pulsars and Fast Transients with MeerKAT

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MeerKAT is the most sensitive radio telescope in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the most sensitive in the world. It is also a pre-cursor to the world's largest radio telescope the Square Kilometre Array. It is currently undertaking searches for radio pulsars and fast transients through the TRAPUM (TRAnsients and PUlsars with MeerKAT) and MeerTRAP (More TRAnsients and Pulsars) projects.The aim of these searches is to find hundreds of new radio pulsars and fast transients, including Fast Radio Bursts. In this project you would join these teams to search for some of the most exciting objects in astrophysics. In particular you would be looking for young and/or energetic pulsars located in association with supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae or high energy sources.You would in parallel search these observations for fast radio transients such as Rotating Radio Transients and potentially find Fast Radio Bursts. After discovery you would undertake follow up timing of the pulsars to determine their nature and how the compare to the known pulsar population and how they interact with their surroundings. Any FRBs that were discovered would be able to be localised precisely and studies could be undertaken of their hosts and also searches for repeat bursts.