Probing the Spacetime around Sagittarius A* with Radio Pulsars

摘要: The supermassive black hole at the Galactic center harbors a bound cluster of massive stars that should leave neutron star remnants. Extrapolating from available data, we estimate ~1000 radio pulsars may currently orbit Sgr A* with periods 100 yr. Optimistically, 1-10 most luminous these be detectable current telescopes in periodicity searches frequencies near 10 GHz, where effects interstellar scattering are alleviated. Long-term timing observations such pulsar would clearly reveal its Keplerian motion and possibly show relativistic gravity. We briefly discuss how can used to study dynamical environment central speculate on prospects for astrometric an orbiting pulsar.