Probing the Universe with Pulsar VLBI Scintillometry
Nov 25, 2015
3:30PM to 4:30PM
Date/Time
Date(s) - 25/11/2015
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Title: Probing the Universe with Pulsar VLBI Scintillometry
Speaker: Dr. Ue-Li Pen
Institute: CITA
Location: ABB 102
Description:
Pulsars, like visible stars, scintillate. Unlike stars, their radio scintillation is due to plasma structures in the interstellar medium. A new picture is emerging on the origin of scintillations through global simultaneous radio observations, resulting in precision imaging of their speckle pattern. This enables unprecedented precision for measuring pulsar structures, distances, masses, gravitational waves, and much more. It paints a new picture of the interstellar medium filled with plasma reconnection sheets. I review a brief history (starting in Algonquin Park) and future trajectory of the nascent field.