Parkes observations for project P1041 semester 2020APRS_11

We recently discovered five millisecond pulsars (MSPs) in the globular cluster Omega Centauri. This is the first pulsar discovery in this globular cluster. Four of these pulsars are isolated with spin periods of 4.1, 4.2, 4.6 and 6.8ms. The fifth has a spin period of 4.8ms and is in an eclipsing binary system with an orbital period of 2.1 hours. We propose to carry out a timing campaign of these new pulsars in order to study the dynamics in the core of Omega Centauri, to reveal the origin of Gamma-ray emission from the core, and to probe the ionised interstellar medium in Omega Centauri. Our proposed observations will also enable us to carry out deeper searches of pulsars in the cluster.

我们近期在球状星团半人马座欧米茄星团（Omega Centauri）中发现了5颗毫秒脉冲星（millisecond pulsars, MSPs）。这是该球状星团内首次发现脉冲星。其中4颗为孤立脉冲星，自转周期分别为4.1、4.2、4.6与6.8毫秒。第5颗脉冲星自转周期为4.8毫秒，处于轨道周期2.1小时的食双星系统（eclipsing binary system）中。我们计划针对这批新发现的脉冲星开展计时观测项目，以研究半人马座欧米茄星团核心区域的动力学特性，揭示该星团核心伽马射线辐射（Gamma-ray emission）的起源，并探测星团内的电离星际介质（ionised interstellar medium）。此外，我们提议的观测还将支持我们在该星团中开展更深层次的脉冲星搜寻工作。