An Extreme Scattering Event Toward PSR J2313+4253

TL;DR

This paper reports the observation and analysis of an extreme scattering event (ESE) toward PSR J2313+4253, revealing detailed properties of small-scale interstellar medium structures through high-cadence radio observations.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed tracking and characterization of an ESE toward a pulsar, including measurements of its size, distance, and duration, using high-cadence data.

Findings

Detected a pair of spikes and a characteristic drop in scintillation bandwidth during the ESE.

Measured the scattering region to be approximately 1.04 kpc away, 15 AU in size, lasting about 220 days.

Identified a detached feature in the secondary spectrum indicative of double lensing.

Abstract

We present evidence of an extreme scattering event (ESE) toward PSR J2313+4253 using high-cadence observations taken with the Green Bank Observatory 20m telescope. The high density of observations in time allow for detailed tracking of the event. We observe a pair of spikes along with the characteristic drop in scintillation bandwidth that is expected during an ESE. This pattern implies that the structures predominantly responsible for scattering occur at different distances than those from previous and subsequent epochs. A secondary spectrum processed during the event shows a detached feature similar to those found in double lensing events from previously observed ESEs. We measure this event as originating from a scattering region with a distance of 1.04(1) kpc, a transverse size of 15 AU, and a duration of approximately 220 days. These rare events provide opportunities to study the properties of small-scale structures in the ISM.