SWIFT MONITORING OF NEARBY X-RAY BINARY-MILLISECOND PULSAR TRANSITION OBJECTS

THE IDENTIFICATION OF THREE BINARY MILLISECOND PULSARS TRANSFORMING BETWEEN ACCRETING AND ROTATION-POWERED STATES HAS FINALLY CLOSED THE EVOLUTIONARY MISSING LINK BETWEEN LOW-MASS X-RAY BINARIES AND RECYCLED PULSARS. THESE DISCOVERIES IMPLY THAT THEIR PARENT POPULATION REDBACKS MAY ALSO BE RECYCLED PULSARS THAT SPORADICALLY REVERT TO/FROM A LOW LUMINOSITY ACCRETING PHASE. WE PROPOSE A CONTINUATION OF THE DEDICATED SWIFT X-RAY AND UV MONITORING CAMPAIGN OF ALL SUCH NEARBY BINARY RADIO MILLISECOND PULSARS AIMED AT CATCHING THEM IN THE ACT OF SWITCHING TO/FROM AN ACCRETING STATE. THIS EFFORT WOULD GREATLY AID IN CONSTRAINING KEY ASPECTS OF THE POORLY UNDERSTOOD TRANSITION PROCESS OF PULSARS BETWEEN ACCRETION AND ROTATION POWER.