Propagation in a shearing plasma. II. Turbulence and the frequency range of pulsar microstructure

Journal Article · Sun Jun 15 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/158072· OSTI ID:5003294

Harding, A K; Tademaru, E

Numerical calculations are presented which explore the propagation of radio waves and pulses through a turbulent shearing plasma. A stochastic model is used to describe the turbulent velocity field, in which random fluctuations are superposed on a mean profile. Both Gaussian wave packets and shot-noise pulses polarized in the plane of shearing acquire quasi-periodic intensity modulations above the rest-frame plasma frequency. The frequency range over which these modulations appear is shown to depend on the spatial correlation length of the turbulent fluctuations and on their standard deviation from the mean velocity. The period of the modulations is variable from one realization of the random process to the next, and the average period is frequency dependent.

• Research Organization: Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greebelt, Maryland
• OSTI ID: 5003294
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 238:3; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640103* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
PLASMA
PULSARS
PULSATIONS
PULSES
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SHEAR
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR MAGNETOSPHERES
TRANSMISSION
TURBULENCE
WAVE PROPAGATION