Pulsar Fluctuation Spectra and the Generalized Drifting-Subpulse Phenomenon

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Abstract
The variation with longitude of the fluctuation spectrum of pulsar radio emission from a fixed longitude is discussed for 13 pulsars. In particular, features in the fluctuation spectra are quantified. These measurements are found to be properties of the pulsar which are as stable in time and as constant over a range of frequencies as the pulse profile and polarization properties. It has been shown that in 1919 + 21 the well-defined feature at 0.23 cycles per pulse period results from a drifting-subpulse phenomenon. In 2016+28 a poorly defined feature is caused by similar driftingsubpulse behavior. Thus it is suggested that the similar fluctuation spectrum features of other pulsars arise from the same subpulse phenomenon, generalized sufficiently to include all objects. Three variants of this generalized drifting-subpulse phenomenon are described. These are found to be related to the apparent magnetic dipole moments which are inferred from pulsar spin-downs. A qualitative discussion of the role of intensity fluctuations in various pulsar models is given. Subject heading: pulsars

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