The interstellar turbulent plasma spectrum in the direction to PSR B1642-03 from multi-frequency observations of interstellar scintillation

¹ Pushchino Radioastronomy Observatory of Lebedev Physical Institute, 142290, Pushchino, Russia, and Isaac Newton Institute of Chile, Pushchino Branch
² Hochschule Niederrhein, Reinarzstr. 49, 47805 Krefeld, Germany e-mail: Wolfgang.Sieber@hsnr.de
³ Oberlin College, OH 44074, Oberlin, USA
⁴ Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany

Received: 28 May 2004
Accepted: 9 March 2006

Abstract

Multi-frequency observations of interstellar scintillation toward the pulsar PSR B1642-03 were analyzed to estimate the spectrum of interstellar plasma inhomogeneities in the direction of this pulsar. Using data over the frequency range from 103 MHz to 5 GHz, we constructed the composite structure function (SF) of phase fluctuations, which covers a corresponding wide range of turbulence scales. The structure function shows that the interstellar plasma spectrum in the direction to this pulsar follows a piecewise power law. The power law is well described by two exponents: for scales from 10⁹ to 10¹⁵ cm (Kolmogorov spectrum) and for scales less than 10⁹ cm. We interpret the unusual behaviour of the spectrum to be caused by the line of sight passing through the North Polar Spur, which may have plasma properties similar to the anisotropic plasma of the solar wind, although at a very different density.