2018 BFY III Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: |
W23: A Lab to Detect Radio Pulsars |
| Abstract: |
Pulsars are highly magnetized and rapidly rotating neutron stars, formed when the core of a massive star collapses in a supernova. They emit broad-band electromagnetic radiation in collimated beams that sweep across the sky as a result of their rotation. In cases where these beams pass over the Earth, they are perceived as radio pulses, just as the rotating lamp of distant lighthouse appears to blink. Reliable detection of pulsars on a short (minutes) time scale requires a dish antenna with a diameter of 10 m or more, which is beyond the reach of most college labs. This workshop presents a shared facility comprising a 60' dish and associated readout that is accessible via the internet and available to education institutions. In the lab, students select a target pulsar, point the dish, and record data for offline analysis. Even with a large dish, individual pulses are buried in the noise, and students are obliged to use signal averaging techniques to extract a signal. Time permitting, other measurements of an educational nature that can be done with the dish are presented. |
| Abstract Type: |
Workshop
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| Contributed Paper Record: |
Contributed Paper Information
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Author/Organizer Information |
| Primary Contact: |
Daniel Marlow
Princeton University
Physics Department
PO Box 708
Princeton, NJ 08542
Phone: 609 258 4383
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Workshop Documents |
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