The Pulsar 2007 conference blog asks:
what are the 10 most interesting pulsar questions that we'd like to see addressed by the time of the next pulsar anniversary meeting?
Question was posed by Franco Pacini, here is my take - biased to radio pulsars, I note, despite the heavy high energy presence locally:
- Find a black hole-pulsar binary.
This is the issue of the utmost importance, and all available observational and data analysis resources should be dedicated to it immediately. - Are there sub-millisecond pulsars? Pulsars with spin periods less than a millisecond?
- Find a double millisecond pulsar binary.
We have a double pulsar already, now we need a binary with two MSPs, each with spin period less than 10 milliseconds. Such an object may exist, if it does it will be found in a globular cluster. - Do pulsar magnetic fields decay primarily through accretion induced field decay? Is field realignment through crustal flow or tectonics significant? Do magnetic fields ever grow significantly after formation? Through buoyancy? Thermoelectric growth? Field realignment? (This really is a single question, sort of).
- Do pulsars form through Accretion Induced Collapse?
AAARRGGHHHH!!! FLASHBACK to the late 80s - RUNAWAY!!!
If so, what sort of pulsars form through AIC and where? - Is the electron capture supernova a significant formation channel? And, does it lead to strong bimodal impulsive kick distributions?
- Are there overmassive, rapidly cooling (through d-URCA or condensate ν cooling), non-pulsing neutron stars out there? Are they the mysterious Central Compact Objects?
Wait! Three neutron star formation channels? - Just what IS the actual radio emission mechanism? And why are magnetars different?
- Planets - are there really three mechanisms for having planets around pulsars?
We are going to be seeing some more planet pulsars, right? Not just a head-fake. - Ok, this one is a bit obscure: are the isolated MSPs the endstate of most Black Widow systems?
And, does this somehow reconcile the MSP and LMXB birthrate problem?
0737
No, I don't speak Italian... why?
Domanda? Not Interrogare?
I won't even think about getting the grammar right...
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Such an object may exist, if it does it will be found in a globular cluster.
Why? Three body capture is the only way for this to happen?
Or some sort of wacky angular momentum thing?
You need an exchange.
Unless there is something funky going on with AIC.
Mmmmm, flying cigar....
Mental note, get on better terms with Steve....
Most of these are the same questions that would have been asked at the 30th birthday, and many even at the Turkey meeting in 1988, as Rachel reminds me.... We're going to need to push hard to get them all wrapped up in time for the 50th birthday party.
Three mechanisms for having planets around pulsars? What are those mechanisms?
Yeah, but at least we have answered some questions - like finding the double pulsar
But I think any of these questions could have been asked in same or similar terms as early as mid-80s...
Looks like the three mechanisms for pulsar planet formation are: excretion disk, exchange and fallback disk. Evidence all three are at work, independently.
Planets around pulsars?!
*Runs around gleefully*
Sure.
The first extrasolar planets - PSR B1257+12 for sure
PSR B1620-26 - almost certainly.
4U0142+61 is looking likely to have a fallback "protoplanetary disk"
Looks conceivable that there are 1-2 other candiate systems in the current data, time and more data will tell.