The 8gr8 Cygnus survey for new pulsars and RRATs

Abstract

We are currently undertaking a survey to search for new pulsars and the recently found Rotating RAdio Transcients (RRATs) in the Cygnus OB complex. The survey uses the Westerbrok Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) in a unique way called the 8gr8 mode, which gives it the best efficiency of any low-frequency wide-area survey. So far we have found a few new pulsars and the routines for the detection of RRATs are already implemented in the standard reduction. We expect to find a few tens of new pulsars and a similar number of RRATs. This will help us to improve our knowledge about the population and properties of the latter poorly known objects as well as provide an improved knowledge of the number of young pulsars associated with the OB complexes in the Cygnus region.