Handbook of Pulsar Astronomy [Paperback]

This 2004 book provides a concise description of pulsar research, presenting key techniques, background information and results.Radio pulsars are rapidly rotating highly magnetized neutron stars. This comprehensive book is a unique resource that brings together the key observational techniques, background information and a review of the latest results, including the recent discovery of a double pulsar system. Useful software tools are provided which can be used to analyse example data, made available on a related website. This work will be of great value not only to graduate students but also to researchers wishing to carry out and interpret a wide variety of radio pulsar observations.Radio pulsars are rapidly rotating highly magnetized neutron stars. This comprehensive book is a unique resource that brings together the key observational techniques, background information and a review of the latest results, including the recent discovery of a double pulsar system. Useful software tools are provided which can be used to analyse example data, made available on a related website. This work will be of great value not only to graduate students but also to researchers wishing to carry out and interpret a wide variety of radio pulsar observations.Radio pulsars are rapidly rotating, highly magnetized neutron stars. This comprehensive book brings together key observational techniques, background information and a review of the latest results, including the recent discovery of a double pulsar system. Useful software tools are provided to analyze example data, made available on a related website. The work will be of great value to graduate students and researchers wishing to carry out and interpret a wide variety of radio pulsar observations.Introduction; 1. Basic pulsar properties; 2. Pulsars as physical tools; 3. Theoretical background; 4. Instrumentation for pulsar observations; 5. Observing known pulsars; 6. Finding new pulsars; 7. Pulsar timing; 8. Beyond single radio dislSø