Single-pulse-based interstellar scintillation studies of RRATs

TL;DR

This study uses single-pulse spectral correlations to analyze interstellar scintillation in RRATs, providing key parameters and velocity constraints, and demonstrating the method's broader applicability to other transient radio sources.

Contribution

Introduces a novel single-pulse spectral correlation method for interstellar scintillation analysis of RRATs and extends its applicability to other pulsar types and fast radio bursts.

Findings

Measured scintillation parameters for RRATs.

Constrained transverse velocities of RRATs.

Identified reduced modulation index in one RRAT.

Abstract

The nature of irregularly spaced pulses of rotating radio transients (RRATs) complicates interstellar scintillation studies. In this letter, we report the primary scintillation parameters of a sample of RRATs using pairwise correlations of pulse spectra. Moreover, from the measured scintillation velocities, we constrain their transverse velocities. We also find a reduced modulation index, $\rm{m=0.13\pm0.01}$, for RRAT~J1538+2345. Several possible explanations are discussed. Furthermore, the single-pulse-based interstellar scintillation technique is applicable to other pulsar populations, including nulling pulsars and those with short scintillation timescales, and fast radio bursts.