Neutron Stars and Black Holes - Lecture 11: Millisecond Pulsars

Neutron Stars and Black Holes - Lecture 11: Millisecond Pulsars

Explore the fascinating world of millisecond pulsars in this comprehensive lecture from the "Neutron Stars and Black Holes" summer course. Delve into the discovery and characteristics of these rapidly rotating neutron stars, their evolution from normal pulsars, and the process of "recycling" in binary systems. Examine the Eddington luminosity limit, equilibrium periods, and the population of millisecond pulsars. Investigate their connections to gravitational waves, atomic clocks, and their potential as gravitational wave detectors. Learn about key predictions, puzzles, and breakthroughs in the field, including the detection of gamma-ray millisecond pulsars. Gain insights into the importance of these celestial objects for understanding stellar evolution, binary systems, and fundamental physics.