Future of Pulsar Research and Facilities

TL;DR

This paper reviews the achievements of pulsar research over 50 years, emphasizing the importance of large-scale facilities and open access to data and infrastructure for future discoveries in pulsar astronomy.

Contribution

It highlights the critical role of infrastructure and open access in sustaining and advancing pulsar research over the next 50 years.

Findings

Large-scale facilities enabled key discoveries in pulsar physics.

Open-source data and software are vital for community growth.

Proper funding and planning are essential for future pulsar research.

Abstract

Radio pulsars have been responsible for many astonishing astrophysical and fundamental physics breakthroughs since their discovery 50 years ago. In this review I will discuss many of the highlights, most of which were only possible because of the provision of large-scale observing facilities. The next 50 years of pulsar astronomy can be very bright, but only if our governments properly plan and fund the infrastructure necessary to enable future discoveries. Being a small sub-field of astronomy places an onus on the pulsar community to have an open-source/open access approach to data, software, and major observing facilities to enable new groups to emerge to keep the field vibrant.