Your Discovery is Here.

The Pulsar Search Collaboratory

Questions We Will Answer

What is a pulsar?

Why do astronomers study pulsars?

What is the PSC?

How can you get involved?

What is a pulsar?

A pulsar is a rapidly rotating neutron star that beam radio waves towards Earth.

This brings up some new questions...What is a neutron star?Why is it rotating?Why is it beaming radio waves?

What is a Neutron Star?

A neutron star is the remnant of a massive star that has ended its lifeIt is called a neutron star because it is made primarily of neutrons

Life of a Massive Star

Life of a Massive Star

Stars spend most of their lives fusing hydrogen into heliumThe star is literally blowing itself apart while gravity tries to crush itWhen a star runs out of hydrogen it tries to fuse heavier elements

Death of a Massive Star

No energy can be extracted by fusing iron

Without a source of energy, what do you think will happen to the star?

Gravity Wins

Supernovae

1) Gravity causes the outer layers to collapse at super-sonic speeds

2) When outer layers hit the Iron core, they pile up and “bounce back”

3) Most of the star explodes

A Neutron Star is Born

The star's core is left behind and goes through a wild transformationWhat was once a core of Iron is now a super-dense neutron star

Neutron Star Facts

1.4 times as massive as our Sun (500,000 Earth masses)About 12 miles across1 teaspoon would weigh 5.5 billion tons10 million ºF at birthSome spin several times a second or faster

Why do neutron stars spin?

Neutron Star Facts

Neutron stars can also highly magnetizedFields thousands – billions times stronger than the strongest man made magnetsThis has an amazing effectNeutron stars can emit beams of radio waves

Do You See a Pulsar?

Pulsars are like interstellar lighthousesIf the beam points towards Earth, we see a pulse of radio waves

Let's Listen

B0329

Let's Listen

B1937

Let's Listen

Crab Pulsar

Let's Listen

Vela Pulsar

Let's Listen

J0437

What did you notice?

Pulsar Recycling

Some pulsars spin faster than othersWhen the pulsar period is a few milliseconds, we call it a millisecond pulsarMSPs are actually recycled pulsars and are the most exciting kinds

Millisecond Pulsars

Why Do We Care?

Pulsars have been used to study...

1) Einstein's general theory of relativity

2) Quantum mechanics

3) Ultra-dense matter

4) Super strong magnetic fields

5) Binary star systems

6) Stellar evolution

7) The plasma content of our galaxy

8) The magnetic field of our galaxy

9) Double pulsars and double neutron star systems

Why Do We Care?

...1) Old stellar populations called globular clusters

2) Emission mechanisms in radio waves, x-rays, and gamma-rays

3) The fastest rotating pulsar (716 times a second!)And in the future...

1)Pulsars will be found orbiting black holes

2)Pulsars will tell us how matter behaves at super high density

3)Pulsars will directly detect gravitational waves

To Review...

Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars that beam radio waves towards the Earth, and...

...Pulsars are some of the most powerful tools in the universe for studying some really awesome science

You have the chance to help us find more!

The Pulsar Search Collaboratory

In 2007 and international team of astronomers used the Green Bank Telescope in Green Bank, WV to hunt for new pulsarsThe Green Bank is located in the middle of the National Radio Quiet ZoneNearest Wal-Mart is ~45 minutes away

The Pulsar Search Collaboratory

We collected 34 TB of data and observed for 1,500 hours!

Now we want students to help analyze the data!

The Pulsar Search Collaboratory

As a member of the PSC you will be a real astronomer, working along with professionalsYou will have access to data that no one else in the world has access toYou will experience first hand how science is doneYou might even make unique and amazing discoveries

PSC Discovery

What We Do

PSC members form teams at their schools and work together to analyze the dataWe are up to 43 participating schoolsTeachers act as guides and mentors but most of the work is up to you!In the process you willlearn more about astronomy, science, and technology

Collaborating With Each Other

Like professional astronomers, you will collaborate with others

Collaborate With Each Other

Active students from each team will be able to present their results at the Capstone each spring at West Virginia UniversityYou will be able to see what others have learned and make new friends

We hope you'll join us!