The $\theta$-$\theta$ Diagram: Transforming pulsar scintillation spectra to coordinates on highly anisotropic interstellar scattering screens

Understand

We introduce a novel analysis technique for pulsar secondary spectra.

• The power spectrum of pulsar scintillation (referred to as the "secondary spectrum") shows differential delays and Doppler shifts due to interference from multi-path propagation through the interstellar medium.
• We develop a transformation which maps these observables to angular coordinates on a single thin screen of phase-changing material.
• This transformation is possible without degeneracies in the case of a one-dimensional distribution of images on this screen, which is often a successful description of the phenomenon.