Discovery of pulsars is one of the main goals for large radio telescopes.The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST),that incorporates an L-band 19-beam receiver with a system temperature of about 20 K,is the most sensitive radio telescope utilized for discovering pulsars.We designed the snapshot observation mode for a FAST key science project,the Galactic Plane Pulsar Snapshot (GPPS) survey,in which every four nearby pointings can observe a cover of a sky patch of 0.1575square degrees through beam-switching of the L-band 19-beam receiver.The integration time for each pointing is 300 seconds so that the GPPS observations for a cover can be made in 21 minutes.The goal of the GPPS survey is to discover pulsars within the Galactic latitude of ±10° from the Galactic plane,and the highest priority is given to the inner Galaxy within ±5°.Up to now,the GPPS survey has discovered 201 pulsars,including currently the faintest pulsars which cannot be detected by other telescopes,pulsars with extremely high dispersion measures (DMs) which challenge the currently widely used models for the Galactic electron density distribution,pulsars coincident with supernova remnants,40 millisecond pulsars,16 binary pulsars,some nulling and mode-changing pulsars and rotating radio transients (RRATs).The follow-up observations for confirmation of new pulsars have polarization-signals recorded for polarization profiles of the pulsars.Re-detection of previously known pulsars in the survey data also leads to significant improvements in parameters for 64 pulsars.The GPPS survey discoveries are published and will be updated at http://zmtt.bao.ac.cn/GPPS/.

High sensitivity radio searches of unassociated γ-ray sources have proven to be an effective way of finding new pulsars. Using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) during its commissioning phase, we have carried out a number of targeted deep searches of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) γ-ray sources. On February 27, 2018 we discovered an isolated millisecond pulsar (MSP), PSR J0318+0253, coincident with the unassociated γ-ray source 3FGL J0318.1+0252. PSR J0318+0253 has a spin period of 5.19 ms, a dispersion measure (DM) of 26 pc cm−3 corresponding to a DM distance of about 1.3 kpc, and a period-averaged flux density of (∼11±2) µJy at L-band (1.05–1.45 GHz). Among all high energy MSPs, PSR J0318+0253 is the faintest ever detected in radio bands, by a factor of at least ∼4 in terms of L-band fluxes. With the aid of the radio ephemeris, an analysis of 9.6 years of Fermi-LAT data revealed that PSR J0318+0253 also displays strong γ-ray pulsations. Follow-up observations carried out by both Arecibo and FAST suggest a likely spectral turn-over around 350 MHz. This is the first result from the collaboration between FAST and the Fermi-LAT teams as well as the first confirmed new MSP discovery by FAST, raising hopes for the detection of many more MSPs. Such discoveries will make a significant contribution to our understanding of the neutron star zoo while potentially contributing to the future detection of gravitational waves, via pulsar timing array (PTA) experiments.

We report the discovery of a highly dispersed fast radio burst, FRB~181123, from an analysis of $\sim$1500~hr of drift-scan survey data taken using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST). The pulse has three distinct emission components, which vary with frequency across our 1.0--1.5~GHz observing band. We measure the peak flux density to be $>0.065$~Jy and the corresponding fluence $>0.2$~Jy~ms. Based on the observed dispersion measure of 1812~cm$^{-3}$~pc, we infer a redshift of $\sim 1.9$. From this, we estimate the peak luminosity and isotropic energy to be $\lesssim 2\times10^{43}$~erg~s$^{-1}$ and $\lesssim 2\times10^{40}$~erg, respectively. With only one FRB from the survey detected so far, our constraints on the event rate are limited. We derive a 95\% confidence lower limit for the event rate of 900 FRBs per day for FRBs with fluences $>0.025$~Jy~ms. We performed follow-up observations of the source with FAST for four hours and have not found a repeated burst. We discuss the implications of this discovery for our understanding of the physical mechanisms of FRBs.

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) has passed national acceptance and finished one pilot cycle of ‘Shared-Risk’ observations. It will start formal operation soon. In this context, this paper describes testing results of key fundamental parameters for FAST, aiming to provide basic support for observation and data reduction of FAST for scientific researchers. The 19-beam receiver covering 1.05–1.45 GHz was utilized for most of these observations. The fluctuation in electronic gain of the system is better than 1% over 3.5 hours, enabling enough stability for observations. Pointing accuracy, aperture efficiency and system temperature are three key parameters for FAST. The measured standard deviation of pointing accuracy is 7.9″, which satisfies the initial design of FAST. When zenith angle is less than 26.4°, the aperture efficiency and system temperature around 1.4 GHz are ∼0.63 and less than 24 K for central beam, respectively. The sensitivity and stability of the 19-beam backend are confirmed to satisfy expectation by spectral H i observations toward NGC 672 and polarization observations toward 3C 286. The performance allows FAST to take sensitive observations for various scientific goals, from studies of pulsars to galaxy evolution.

We report the discovery of a binary millisecond pulsar (namely PSR J1641+3627F or M13F) in the globular cluster (GC) M13 (NGC 6205) and timing solutions of M13A to F using observations made with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope. PSR J1641+3627F has a spin period of 3.00 ms and an orbital period of 1.4 days. The most likely companion mass is 0.13 M. M13A to E all have short spin periods and small period derivatives. We also confirm that the binary millisecond pulsar PSR J1641+3627E (also M13E) is a black widow with a companion mass around 0.02 M. We find that all the binary systems have low eccentricities compared to those typical for GC pulsars and that they decrease with distance from the cluster core. This is consistent with what is expected, as this cluster has a very low encounter rate per binary.

We describe PSR J1926-0652, a pulsar recently discovered with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST). Using sensitive single-pulse detections from FAST and long-term timing observations from the Parkes 64-m radio telescope, we probed phenomena on both long and short time scales. The FAST observations covered a wide frequency range from 270 to 800 MHz, enabling individual pulses to be studied in detail. The pulsar exhibits at least four profile components, short-term nulling lasting from 4 to 450 pulses, complex subpulse drifting behaviours and intermittency on scales of tens of minutes. While the average band spacing P3 is relatively constant across different bursts and components, significant variations in the separation of adjacent bands are seen, especially near the beginning and end of a burst. Band shapes and slopes are quite variable, especially for the trailing components and for the shorter bursts. We show that for each burst the last detectable pulse prior to emission ceasing has different properties compared to other pulses. These complexities pose challenges for the classic carousel-type models.

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) was completed with its main structure installed on September 25, 2016, after which it entered the commissioning phase. This paper aims to introduce the commissioning progress of the FAST over the past two years. To improve its operational reliability and ensure effective observation time, FAST has been equipped with a real-time information system for the active reflector system and hierarchical commissioning scheme for the feed support system, which ultimately achieves safe operation of the two systems. For meeting the high-performance indices, a high-precision measurement system was set up based on the effective control methods that were implemented for the active reflector system and feed support system. Since the commissioning of the FAST, a low-frequency ultra-wideband receiver and 19-beam 1.05-1.45 GHz receiver have been mainly used. Telescope efficiency, pointing accuracy, and system noise temperature were completely tested and ultimately achieved the acceptance indices of the telescope. The FAST has been in the process of national acceptance preparations and has begun to search for pulsars. In the future, it will still strive to improve its capabilities and expand its application prospects.

Tracking observations of FRB 121102 were carried out with the newly commissioned Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST). We used the FAST L-band Array of 19-beams (FLAN), which has a FWHM of 2.95' for individual beams and a 26' footprint.

嫦娥四号探测器由中继星、着陆器和巡视器组成.其科学目标为：月基低频射电天文观测研究，月球背面巡视区浅层结构探测研究以及月球背面巡视区形貌与矿物组分探测研究.共配置6台有效载荷设备，其中3台载荷设备配置在着陆器上，分别为降落相机、地形地貌相机和低频射电谱仪，其余3台配置在巡视器上，分别为全景相机、测月雷达和红外成像光谱仪.本文主要论述了嫦娥四号任务的科学目标、着陆区概况、有效载荷配置及系统设计、各有效载荷任务和主要技术指标等.

The Moon-based Extreme Ultraviolet Camera (EUVC) installed on the lunar lander of Chinese Chang'e 3 mission can obtain global and instantaneous EUV images of the Earth's plasmasphere in meridian view (side view). The movies of the continuously observed time-series images by EUVC reveal the dynamic variations of the plasmasphere during substorms. The EUVC instrument, observations of plasmasphere, data products, and main scientific results are summarized in this paper.

The Moon-based Extreme Ultraviolet Camera (EUVC) of the Chang’e 3 mission provides a global and instantaneous meridian view (side view) of the Earth’s plasmasphere. The plasmasphere is one inner component of the whole magnetosphere and the configuration of the plasmasphere is sensitive to magnetospheric activity (storms and substorms). However, the response of the plasmaspheric configuration to substorms is only partially understood and the EUVC observations provide a good opportunity to investigate this issue. By reconstructing the global plasmaspheric configuration based on the EUVC images observed during 20–22 April 2014, we show that in the observing period, the plasmasphere had three bulges which were located at different geomagnetic longitudes. The inferred midnight transit times of the three bulges, using the rotation rate of the Earth, coincide with the expansion phase of three substorms, which implies a causal relationship between the substorms and the formation of the three bulges on the plasmasphere. Instead of leading to plasmaspheric erosion as geomagnetic storms do, substorms initiated on the nightside of the Earth cause local inflation of the plasmasphere in the midnight region.

The Chang’e 3 (CE-3) mission was implemented as the first lander/rover mission of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP). After its successful launch at 01:30 local time on December 2, 2013, CE-3 was inserted into an eccentric polar lunar orbit on December 6, and landed to the east of a 430 m crater in northwestern Mare Imbrium (19.51°W, 44.12°N) at 21:11 on December 14, 2013. The Yutu rover separated from the lander at 04:35, December 15, and traversed for a total of 0.114 km. Acquisition of science data began during the descent of the lander and will continue for 12 months during the nominal mission. The CE-3 lander and rover each carry four science instruments. Instruments on the lander are: Landing Camera (LCAM), Terrain Camera (TCAM), Extreme Ultraviolet Camera (EUVC), and Moon-based Ultraviolet Telescope (MUVT). The four instruments on the rover are: Panoramic Camera (PCAM), VIS-NIR Imaging Spectrometer (VNIS), Active Particle induced X-ray Spectrometer (APXS), and Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR). The science objectives of the CE-3 mission include: (1) investigation of the morphological features and geological structures of and near the landing area; (2) integrated in-situ analysis of mineral and chemical composition of and near the landing area; and (3) exploration of the terrestrial-lunar space environment and lunar-based astronomical observations. This paper describes the CE-3 objectives and measurements that address the science objectives outlined by the Comprehensive Demonstration Report of Phase II of CLEP. The CE-3 team has archived the initial science data, and we describe data accessibility by the science community.