Parkes observations for project P282 semester 2008APRS

From 1989 to 2005, we have discovered a total of 23 millisecond pulsars in 47 Tucanae and obtained coherent timing solutions for 19 of those. This dataset has already allowed studies of stellar evolution and cluster dynamics and the first detection of the interstellar medium in a globular cluster. The remaining scientific objectives of this project can now be accomplished with less intensive, long-term timing: we want to keep track of the rotational phase of these pulsars and increase the number and precision of measured proper motions. The full analysis of all the previous data is still ongoing: we have recently found a new pulsar (47TucZ), confirmed and determined the orbit of a previously know object (47TucX), and determined the timing solutions of three others (the binary pulsar with the shortest orbital period, 47TucR, another eclipsing binary pulsar, 47TucW, and a newly dicovered binary, 47TucY). This has allowed the identification of these three pulsars in X-rays using Chandra and the identification of the companion of 47TucY in optical HST data.

1989年至2005年间，我们在杜鹃座47（47 Tucanae）中共发现了23颗毫秒脉冲星（millisecond pulsar），并为其中19颗获取了相干计时解（coherent timing solution）。本数据集已支撑恒星演化、星团动力学相关研究，并实现了球状星团（globular cluster）内星际介质（interstellar medium）的首次探测。
本项目剩余的科学目标如今可通过低强度长期计时观测实现：我们将追踪这些脉冲星的自转相位，并提升自行（proper motion）测量的样本数量与精度。
目前所有既往数据的全量分析工作仍在进行中：我们近期新发现了一颗脉冲星（47TucZ），确认并解算了此前已知天体（47TucX）的轨道，同时为另外三颗脉冲星确定了计时解：分别是拥有最短轨道周期的双脉冲星（binary pulsar）47TucR、另一颗食双星脉冲星（eclipsing binary pulsar）47TucW，以及新发现的双脉冲星47TucY。
上述成果使得我们能够利用钱德拉X射线天文台（Chandra）在X射线波段识别出这三颗脉冲星，并通过哈勃空间望远镜（HST）的光学数据确认了47TucY的伴星。