The Parkes Multibeam Pulsar Survey: PSR j1811-1736, a pulsar in a highly eccentric binary system

We are undertaking a high-frequency survey of the Galactic plane for radio pulsars, using the 13-element multibeam receiver on the 64-m Parkes radio t elescope. We describe briefly the survey system and some of the initial res ults. PSR J1811-1736, one of the first pulsars discovered with this system, has a rotation period of 104 ms. Subsequent timing observations using the 76-m radio telescope at Jodrell Bank show that it is in an 18.8-d, highly e ccentric binary orbit. We have measured the rate of advance of periastron w hich indicates a total system mass of 2.6 +/- 0.9 M., and the minimum compa nion mass is about 0.7 M.. This, the high orbital eccentricity and the recy cled nature of the pulsar suggest that this system is composed of two neutr on stars, only the fourth or fifth such system known in the disc of the Gal axy.