A report on the 2nd EPN meeting

Held at Ouranopolis, Greece on September 19-20 1996

J.H. Seiradakis


Some 29 scientists attended the meeting held at Ouranopolis close to Thessaloniki in Greece between the 19th and 20th of September. Judging from the participation at the meeting, it was immediately evident that the EPN has achieved its aim of integrating European astronomers working on pulsar research. The participants learnt about recent achievements in pulsar research at the various EPN institutes, which ranged from discoveries of new pulsars by EPN telescopes to detailed studies of indivual pulses of previously known objects.

It became obvious throughout the meeting that many of the research topics discussed involved a combination of many datasets and/or simultaneous observations, and are only possible under the auspices of the EPN. The talks were all well received and triggered many additional discussions during the meeting which enhance the bonds between participants, a process which generally leads to further developments in a particular research topic and broadening of scientific horizons.

It was notable that the meeting attracted a number of astronomers working on the field of pulsar research, who do not formally belong to the EPN. They paid their own expences in order to participate in the meeting, which they considered to be one of the important pulsar meetings this year (e.g. Alex Wolszczan from Penn State University, USA, who discovered the first extra-solar planetary system). Based on their imression of the meeting, these non-EPN members expressed their admiration for the Network and their desire to join it, if it was extended in the future.

The EPN-format for pulsar data exchange, developed within the framework of the Network, was discussed and developed during this meeting. It was decided that the database of pulsar observations, one of the main aims of the EPN, will be readily available to the rest of the world via the WWW.