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Research Programs at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

J. D. Cline, M. W. Castelaz (PARI)

Three new research programs at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) are a pulsar timing project, a survey of the galactic plane for binary M-dwarf systems, and a study of Jupiter-Io emission at 20 MHz.  Precise timing observations of a dozen pulsars are important to elucidate the nature of the torque acting on neutron stars and probe their internal structure.  Dispersion of the arrival time with radio frequency measures the thermal-electron column density toward each star that provides a distance estimate.  Also, timing observations yield information on a pulsar's proper motion, parallax (if close enough) and orbital parameters if the pulsar has companion stars or planets.  The pulsar timing observations use one of PARI’s 26-m radio telescopes and 400 MHz receiver.  We will present the details of the survey instrumentation, the catalog of pulsars being observed, and initial timing results.  A second research program at PARI is an optical sky survey to detect more low-mass detached eclipsing binaries from which masses and radii can be determined.  The mass-radius relation for stars below one solar mass has only six reliable measurements from the components of three eclipsing binaries.  We expect to detect at least 15 binaries over the three-year lifetime of the survey.  The survey will be described, and estimates of optical observing conditions at the PARI optical site will be presented.  The third major research program at PARI is the study of 20 MHz radio emission variations as a function of frequency as Io cuts through the magnetic field of Jupiter.  The energy output is equivalent to a thermal source with a temperature of ~1,000,000 K.  Solar energy bursts are being measured during the day using a pair of M-Squared 17-30LP7 log periodic yagis between 17 and 30 MHz.  The first set of data will be presented.

The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) is a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to providing educational and research access to radio and optical astronomers