Pulsar scintillation and the local interstellar medium

Abstract

Ever since their discovery, pulsars have been proved to be excellent tools to study the Interstellar Medium. Results from new observations using the Ooty Radio Telescope at 327 MHz are used to investigate the properties of the Local Interstellar Medium; in particular, the distribution of radio wave scattering material and the spatial power spectrum of plasma density fluctuations. The morphology of the scattering structure inferred from the observations shows a striking similarity with that of the Local Bubble. The observations suggest that the overall nature of the spectrum is Kolmogorov-like in the spatial scale range ~ 106 m to 1011 m, with excess power at larger scales (~1012 - 1013 m). Data are also used to test the quantitative predictions from refractive scintillation theory.