Detecting pulsar polarization below 100 MHz with the Long Wavelength Array
Abstract
Using the first station of the Long Wavelength Array (LWA1), we examine polarized pulsar emission between 25 and 88 MHz. Polarized light from pulsars undergoes Faraday rotation as it passes through the magnetized interstellar medium. Observations from low-frequency telescopes are ideal for obtaining precise rotation measures (RMs) because the effect of Faraday rotation is proportional to the square of the observing wavelength. With these RMs, we obtained polarized pulse profiles to see how polarization changes in the 25–88 MHz range. The RMs were also used to derive values for the electron-density-weighted average Galactic magnetic field along the line of sight. We present RMs and polarization profiles of 15 pulsars acquired using data from LWA1. These results provide new insight into low-frequency polarization characteristics and pulsar emission heights, and complement measurements at higher frequencies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jun 22, 2020
- Source ID
- 10.1093/mnras/staa1788
Entities
People
- Greg Taylor
- Jayce Dowell
- K. Stovall
- V Dike
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Brinson Foundation
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
- National Science Foundation
- Office of Naval Research
- Sandia National Laboratories
- University of California
- University of New Mexico