Refractive Convergent Plasma Lenses explain ESE and pulsar scintillation

TL;DR

This paper introduces convergent plasma lenses, potentially from current sheets, as a unified explanation for interstellar scattering phenomena like ESEs and pulsar scintillation, with testable predictions for VLBI observations.

Contribution

It presents a novel model of plasma lenses from current sheets that addresses previous overpressure issues and explains scattering phenomena through stable, localized underdense sheets.

Findings

Quantitative explanation of ESEs and pulsar arcs

Testable VLBI predictions for scattering events

Lenses as stable, reconnection-related current sheets

Abstract

We propose convergent plasma lenses, possibly from current sheets, as a generic solution to strong interstellar scattering. These lenses resolve the overpressure problem by geometric alignment as noted by Goldreich and Shridhar (2006). They further quantitatively explain properties of extreme scattering events, and pulsar parabolic arcs. This model makes quantitative predictions testable by VLBI on scattering events. It differs conceptually from previous models by occurring through rare, localized underdense sheets. Such sheets are thermally and kinematically stable, and could be consequences of reconnection. The apparent diffractive effects are a result of coherent interference of refractive images. We propose that these lenses can be used for precision distance determination to pulsars, enabling accurate gravity source localization.