Prof Dan Stinebring (Oberlin College)

Pulsar Scintillation and the Interstellar Medium - Prof Dan Stinebring Colloquium

ATNF Marsfield Lecture Theatre

Abstract

Dynamic spectra of pulsars display both random and
organized features. We have shown that the crisscross pattern frequently
seen at low power levels in dynamic spectra corresponds to a clearly defined
parabolic arc in the transform domain. I will summarize the
observational basics of these <italics scintillation arcs>: they are
widespread in high sensitivity data; the curvature of the parabola
remains constant for decades; the power distribution along the parabola
varies on a timescale similar to the refractive timescale; and
scintillation arcs underlie other dynamic spectra patterns such as
tilted scintles and periodic fringing. I will also discuss how the
details of scintillation arcs can be used to probe the interstellar
medium on solar system size scales.