Frequency independent quenching of pulsed emission

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that pulsar nulling is a broadband phenomenon occurring simultaneously across a wide frequency range, indicating global magnetospheric changes.

Contribution

First high-significance evidence showing nulling in pulsars is frequency independent and broadband, suggesting a global magnetospheric process.

Findings

Null and burst pulses are highly concurrent across multiple frequencies.

Less than 3% of pulses are non-concurrent, mainly at transition points.

Nulling is confirmed as a broadband phenomenon in the studied pulsars.

Abstract

Simultaneous observations at four different frequencies viz. 313, 607, 1380 and 4850 MHz, for three pulsars, PSRs B0031-07, B0809+74 and B2319+60, are reported in this paper. Identified null and burst pulses are highly concurrent across more than decade of frequency. Small fraction of non-concurrent pulses (less than or equal to 3%) are observed, most of which occur at the transition instances. We report, with very high significance for the first time, full broadband nature of the nulling phenomenon in these three pulsars. These results suggest that nulling invokes changes on the global magnetospheric scale.