Characterizing the dynamic magnetospheres of neutron stars

脉冲星是自转的中子星，其密度超过核物质、超强重力和磁场，比实验室可以创造的任何东西都要强得多。我们最近的猫鼬射电望远镜观测显示，在它们产生的规则脉冲序列中，有有趣的复杂的准周期模式。这对目前的理论提出了重大挑战，并指出了脉冲星磁层中未知的物理过程。该项目将使用包括猫鼬在内的世界上最敏感的射电望远镜，详细研究最具挑战性的天体物理源。这与我们的磁层模拟一起，将揭示这些非凡模式的真正起源。

Pulsars are spinning neutron stars with densities exceeding that of nuclear matter, ultra-strong gravity, and magnetic fields much stronger than anything that can be created in a laboratory. Our recent MeerKAT radio telescope observations show intriguing complex quasi-periodic patterns in the otherwise regular sequences of pulses they produce. These present a major challenge to current theories and point to unknown physical processes operating in pulsar magnetospheres. This project will use world's most sensitive radio telescopes, including MeerKAT, to study the most challenging astrophysical sources in detail. This, together with our magnetospheric simulations, will reveal the true origin of these extraordinary patterns.