Investigation of nulling and subpulse drifting properties of PSR J1727−2739

¹ Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory, 150, Science-1 Street, Urumqi, 830011 Xinjiang, PR China
e-mail: na.wang@xao.ac.cn
² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan road, 100049 Beijing, PR China
³ Key laboratory of Radio Astronomy, CAS, 210008 Nanjing, PR China
⁴ CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, PO Box 76, Epping NSW 1710, Australia

Received: 29 January 2016
Accepted: 20 May 2016

Abstract

Aims. We intend to study of the nulling and subpulse drifting in PSR J1727−2739 in detail to investigate its radiation properties.

Methods. The observations were carried out on 20 March, 2004 using the Parkes 64-m radio telescope with a central frequency of 1518 MHz. A total of 5568 single pulses were analysed.

Results. This pulsar shows well-defined nulls with lengths lasting from 6 to 281 pulses and separated by burst phases ranging from 2 to 133 pulses. We estimate a nulling fraction of around 68%. No emission in the average pulse profile integrated over all null pulses is detected with significance above 3σ. Most transitions from nulls to bursts are within a few pulses, whereas the transitions from bursts to nulls exhibit two patterns of decay; these transitions either decrease gradually or rapidly. In the burst phase, we find that there are two distinct subpulse drift modes with vertical spacing between the drift bands of 9.7 ± 1.6 and 5.2 ± 0.9 pulse periods, while sometimes there is a third mode with no subpulse drifting. Some mode transitions occur within a single burst, while others are separated by nulls. Different modes have different average pulse profiles. Possible physical mechanisms are discussed.