Search for discrete refractive scattering events

Abstract

We have searched for discrete refractive scattering events (including effects due to possible non-multiple diffractive scattering) at meter wavelengths in the direction of two close by pulsars B0950+08 and B1929+10, where we looked for spectral signatures associated with the multiple imaging of pulsars due to scattering in the interstellar medium. We do not find any signatures of such events in the direction of either source over a spectral periodicity range of 50 KHz to 5 MHz. Our analysis puts strong upper limits on the column density contrast associated with a range of spatial scales of the interstellar electron density irregularities along these lines of sight.