As the reader can imagine, the above is an extremely brief compilation of the complex behaviors of pulsars. Each of these behaviors is described in full detail in the literature. But a key point to keep in mind is that, when averaged over several minutes or so, these complexities disappear, leaving only extreme regularity.
That is important when considering pulsars as ETI beacons, because the regularity over time supports the detection of weak pulsar signals using matched detection techniques, while the signals actually can carry information in the small-scale variations. Once the gross pulsar signal has been acquired, the receiving civilization can add resources to bring out the details.
Positions and Unique Features
This is an equal-area projection of the Milky Way in galactic coordinates. North galactic longitude is to the left. The view shows stars and constellations, not pulsars. The distribution of pulsars drops abruptly near 1 radian north of the Galactic Center - as seen within 53 l.y. from our location. The profile of supernova remnants does not show this drop-off. There is an anomalous concentration of pulsars at the south 1-radian point. The two fastest known pulsars are located at the two points.
