[Batrachian]

"The pulsars are thermonuclear reactions themselves"

Correction. A pulsar is a super dense ball of neutrons, which is why it's also known as a neutron star. It forms when a supernova explosion compresses the core of the star so much so that the atoms collapse and the electrons and protons merge to form neutrons. No thermonuclear reactions take place inside the pulsar, if the theories are correct, as there is no material remaining that can undergo fusion.

As for the thermonuclear reactions on the surface of the pulsar (caused by gas trapped from other stars), they are seen by telescopes such as the Chandra X-ray telescope and they last long enough so that as they rapidly flicker on and off due to the rotation of the pulsar, the scientists can figure out the rate of rotation.

[FreedomCalls]

Thank you. That makes more sense. But what is there in the observations to indicate that the observed flicker is correlated to the pulsar's rotation? If it is gasses that are drawn into the pulsar's gravity, then it will spiral down at a faster rotational speed than the pulsar rotates just like a satellite orbits the earth at a faster rate than the earth's rotation. Does the flicker always stay the same rate for each pulsar -- never varying?