Meter-wavelength observations of pulsars using very long baseline interferometry

Abstract

The results of an investigation of the angular structure imposed on pulsar radiation due to scattering in the interstellar medium are presented. The technique of very-long-baseline interferometry was used to obtain the necessary high angular resolution. The interferometers formed by the Arecibo, NRAO, and Sugar Grove telescopes were used at radio frequencies of 196, 111, and 74 MHz during seven separate observing sessions between November 1971 and February 1973. A crude visibility function for the Crab nebular pulsar was obtained along with the correlated pulse profile. The technique of differential fringe phase was used to show that the pulsar and the compact source in the Crab nebula are coincident to within 0.001 arcsec which corresponds to aproximately 2 a.u. at the distance to the nebula. The ratio of pulsing to total flux, and the fringe visibility of the time-averaged pulsing flux are also discussed, and apparent angular sizes of the pulsars were measured