MWA Tied-Array Processing II: Polarimetric Verification and Analysis of two Bright Southern Pulsars. (arXiv:1905.00598v1 [astro-ph.HE])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Xue_M/0/1/0/all/0/1">Mengyao Xue</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Ord_S/0/1/0/all/0/1">S. M. Ord</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Tremblay_S/0/1/0/all/0/1">S. E. Tremblay</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Bhat_N/0/1/0/all/0/1">N. D. R. Bhat</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Sobey_C/0/1/0/all/0/1">C. Sobey</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Meyers_B/0/1/0/all/0/1">B. W. Meyers</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+McSweeney_S/0/1/0/all/0/1">S. J. McSweeney</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Swainston_N/0/1/0/all/0/1">N. A. Swainston</a>
Polarimetric studies of pulsars at low radio frequencies provide important
observational insights into the pulsar emission mechanism and beam models, and
probe the properties of the magneto-ionic interstellar medium (ISM). Aperture
arrays are the main form of next-generation low-frequency telescopes, including
the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA). These require a distinctly different
approach to data processing (e.g. calibration and beamforming) compared to
traditional dish antennas. As the second paper of this series, we present a
verification of the MWA’s pulsar polarimetry capability, using two bright
southern pulsars, PSRs J0742-2822 and J1752-2806. Our observations
simultaneously cover multiple frequencies (76-313 MHz) and were taken at
multiple zenith angles during a single night for each pulsar. We show that the
MWA can be reliably calibrated for zenith angles < 45 degree and frequencies <
270 MHz. We present the polarimetric profiles for PSRs J0742-2822 and
J1752-2806 at frequencies lower than 300 MHz for the first time, along with an
analysis of the linear polarisation degree and pulse profile evolution with
frequency. For PSR J0742-2822, the measured degree of linear polarisation shows
a rapid decrease at low frequencies, in contrast with the generally expected
trend, which can be attributed to depolarisation effects from small-scale,
turbulent, magneto-ionic ISM components. This effect has not been widely
explored for pulsars in general, and will be further investigated in future
work.
Polarimetric studies of pulsars at low radio frequencies provide important
observational insights into the pulsar emission mechanism and beam models, and
probe the properties of the magneto-ionic interstellar medium (ISM). Aperture
arrays are the main form of next-generation low-frequency telescopes, including
the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA). These require a distinctly different
approach to data processing (e.g. calibration and beamforming) compared to
traditional dish antennas. As the second paper of this series, we present a
verification of the MWA’s pulsar polarimetry capability, using two bright
southern pulsars, PSRs J0742-2822 and J1752-2806. Our observations
simultaneously cover multiple frequencies (76-313 MHz) and were taken at
multiple zenith angles during a single night for each pulsar. We show that the
MWA can be reliably calibrated for zenith angles < 45 degree and frequencies <
270 MHz. We present the polarimetric profiles for PSRs J0742-2822 and
J1752-2806 at frequencies lower than 300 MHz for the first time, along with an
analysis of the linear polarisation degree and pulse profile evolution with
frequency. For PSR J0742-2822, the measured degree of linear polarisation shows
a rapid decrease at low frequencies, in contrast with the generally expected
trend, which can be attributed to depolarisation effects from small-scale,
turbulent, magneto-ionic ISM components. This effect has not been widely
explored for pulsars in general, and will be further investigated in future
work.
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