Radio Observations of Pulsars

脉冲星是快速旋转的中子星，其特征是有规律地发射射电(在某些情况下是光学的)信号。不同脉冲星的脉动频率从几秒到几毫秒不等。首席研究人员建议继续他对脉冲星的射电观测，重点是：1.高精度脉冲星计时观测，部分是为NASA伽马射线天文台(将于1990年发射)做准备，2.搜索毫秒脉冲星，3.启动对选定脉冲星的日常观测的“故障巡逻”。这项工作的动机是更好地了解脉冲星的性质，它们在恒星和银河系演化中的位置，并将数据应用于引力物理、宇宙学、天体测量学和计时。

Pulsars are rapidly spinning neutron stars characterized by the regular emission of radio (and in some cases optical) signals. The pulsation frequency of different pulsars ranges from seconds down to milliseconds. The Principal Investigator proposes to continue with his radio observations of pulsars, concentrating on: 1. high-precision pulsar timing observations, in part in preparation for the NASA Gamma Ray Observatory (to be launched in 1990), 2. search for millisecond pulsars, and 3. initiate a "glitch patrol" of daily observations of selected pulsars. The motivation for this work is to achieve a better understanding of the nature of pulsars, their place in stellar and galactic evolution, and to apply the data to gravitation physics, cosmology, astrometry, and timekeeping.