Arecibo 1418 MHz Polarimetry and Morphological Classification of 95 Pulsars

Session 16 - Radio Pulsars.
Display session, Monday, January 15
North Banquet Hall, Convention Center

[16.02] Arecibo 1418 MHz Polarimetry and Morphological Classification of 95 Pulsars

K. A. Weitz, J. M. Weisberg, B. R. Dawson, J. T. Despotes, J. J. Morgan, E. C. Zink (Carleton Coll.), J. M. Cordes (Cornell/NAIC), S. C. Lundgren (NRL), D. C. Backer (Berkeley)

The classification of pulsars allows for the organization of groups of objects which share common features. These classes can then be studied for further correlations, providing insight into a variety of emission and evolutionary questions. Most classification systems are based on the analysis of polarized profiles over a wide frequency range.

We gathered polarization data on over one hundred pulsars at 1418 MHz in fifteen observing sessions from 1989 to 1993, using the 305 meter Arecibo telescope. A 20 MHz digital multichannel correlation polarimeter was employed on-line. The multifrequency channels were then dedispersed before summing. All data for each individual pulsar were then calibrated and combined into one full Stokes parameter profile. This process led to polarized average pulse profiles for ninety-five of the pulsars.

We used the Rankin (1983) system as the basis for our morphological classifications of the 95 pulsars. In Rankin's model, the frequency evolution of the polarized characteristics of each pulse component is assessed in order to distinguish core from hollow cone emission beams. We studied our 1418 MHz data and all other published polarimetry on each pulsar in order to determine the morphological classifications.

We present the polarized profiles and discuss the morphological classifications for these 95 pulsars.

Program listing for Monday