Galactic distribution of electron density turbulence

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Abstract
Scintillation and angular broadining measurements are used to estimate the spectral coefficient C 2 n of the electron density power spectrum. Relevant length scales are ≲101 1 cm. Line of sight averages of C 2 n vary by almost 5 ordes of magnitude and it is likely that local variations are much larger. Study of 150 lines of sight supports the existence of a diffuse distribution of scattering material with large scale height ∼0.5 kpc combined with clumps of intense turbulence having a small scale height ∼0.1 kpc. The diffuse component appears to have a galactocentric radial extent of about 7 kpc. The clumped medium can account for the scattering of recently discovered pulsars in the inner Galaxy and of the galactic center source, Sgr A*.

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