Abstract
With the aim of constraining the structural properties of neutron stars and the equation of state of dense matter, we study sudden spin-ups, glitches, occurring in the Vela pulsar and in six other pulsars. We present evidence that glitches represent a self-regulating instability for which the star prepares over a waiting time. The angular momentum requirements of glitches in Vela indicate that $\ensuremath{\ge}1.4%$ of the star's moment of inertia drives these events. If glitches originate in the liquid of the inner crust, Vela's ``radiation radius'' ${R}_{\ensuremath{\infty}}$ must exceed $\ensuremath{\simeq}12\mathrm{km}$ for a mass of ${1.4M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$. Observational tests of whether other neutron stars obey this constraint will be possible in the near future.
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