Parkes observations for project P860 semester 2017OCTS_BPSR_01

This is a request for observing time for the initial follow-up of pulsar discoveries from the low-latitude Galactic plane section of the HTRU survey (P630). We have already discovered 105 pulsars from 94% of processed data. We expect that processing should be complete within the 2017OCTS semester. Extrapolation and population synthesis shows that the Galactic plane survey should result in a further 5-10 discoveries.\r\n\r\nThe discovery of pulsars is just a first step, and interesting science can usually only be revealed after confirmation and a follow-up timing campaign is carried out. One year of initial timing is the minimum timespan required to fully-characterise any newly-discovered pulsars, essential for deriving pulsar parameters such as the characteristic age, magnetic ?eld strength, spin-down rate, as well as to detect any unexpected behaviour of the pulsar which might result from emission instabilities.\r\n\r\nThis follow-up timing project is necessary for identifying any interesting pulsar systems discovered from the HTRU Galactic plane survey. Since all of the pulsars on the observing list here are being followed-up for the first time, they will produce completely new and exciting results. In addition, this timing project will enable a large-scale examination of the Galactic plane pulsar population, exploring the true boundaries of pulsar parameter space. Given the large number of discoveries expected and the long integration length required, this dedicated follow-up timing campaign is vital for achieving our science goals.

本申请旨在为HTRU巡天（High Time Resolution Universe Survey，P630）银道面（Galactic plane）低纬度区域新发现脉冲星（pulsar）的首批后续观测申请观测时长。目前我们已在94%的已处理数据中发现105颗脉冲星，预计全部数据处理工作将在2017OCTS观测周期内完成。通过外推法与种群合成（population synthesis）分析可知，本次银道面巡天预计还将新增5至10颗脉冲星发现。

脉冲星的发现仅为第一步，唯有经过证认并开展后续计时观测项目（timing campaign）后，才能揭示其蕴含的前沿科学价值。对新发现脉冲星开展为期一年的初始计时观测是完成其完整特性表征的最低时长要求，这对于推导脉冲星特征年龄（characteristic age）、磁场强度（magnetic field strength）、自转减速率（spin-down rate）等关键参数，以及探测由辐射不稳定性（emission instabilities）引发的脉冲星异常行为均至关重要。

本后续计时项目对于甄别HTRU银道面巡天中发现的各类极具科学价值的脉冲星系统而言不可或缺。由于本次观测列表中的所有脉冲星均为首次开展后续观测，本项目将产出全新且令人振奋的科研成果。此外，本计时项目将实现对银道面脉冲星种群的大规模普查，进而探索脉冲星参数空间的真实边界。鉴于预计发现的脉冲星数量可观且所需积分时长较长，本专属后续计时观测项目对于达成我们的科学目标至关重要。