Identifying Subcomponents of Mean Pulse Profiles of PSR B1822–09 with Single Pulses

Abstract

Using observational data obtained with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope, we succeeded in identifying subcomponents of different pulse profile components of PSR B1822−09 by the phase-to-phase cross correlations between intensity sequences of single pulses. The determined number of the subcomponents and edges of the subcomponents are consistent with the results of Gaussian fitting on the mean pulse profiles of PSR B1822−09. According to the results, the main pulse (MP) in both the radio burst mode (B mode) and the radio-quiet mode (Q mode), the precursor (PC), and the interpulse (IP) of PSR B1822−09 are all composed of three subcomponents. The correlation coefficients between intensity sequences at different pulse phases reveal a positive correlation between the subcomponent C8 of the MP and C3 of the IP in the Q mode, and a positive correlation between C5 of the PC and C2 of the IP during the switching process from the B mode to the Q mode. These complex correlations present a challenge for the existing scenarios that describe relations between different pulse profile components. We proposed a hypothesis that different subcomponents correspond to different subpatches on the pulsar surface, and emissions from a subpatch reveal responses of the subpatch to some variations like the voltage in the magnetosphere. Therefore, correlations between different subcomponents depend on the responses of the subpatches to the variations.

Keywords

• Pulsars
• Radio pulsars