Detection of Crab Giant Pulses Using the Mileura Widefield Array Low Frequency Demonstrator Field Prototype System

Abstract

We report on the detection of giant pulses from the Crab Nebula pulsar at a frequency of 200 MHz using the field deployment system designed for the Mileura Widefield Array's Low Frequency Demonstrator (MWA-LFD). Our observations are among the first high-quality detections at such low frequencies. The measured pulse shapes are deconvolved for interstellar pulse broadening, yielding a pulse-broadening time of 670$\pm$100 $\mu$s, and the implied strength of scattering (scattering measure) is the lowest that is estimated towards the Crab nebula from observations made so far. The sensitivity of the system is largely dictated by the sky background, and our simple equipment is capable of detecting pulses that are brighter than $\sim$9 kJy in amplitude. The brightest giant pulse detected in our data has a peak amplitude of $\sim$50 kJy, and the implied brightness temperature is $10^{31.6}$ K. We discuss the giant pulse detection prospects with the full MWA-LFD system. With a sensitivity over two orders of magnitude larger than the prototype equipment, the full system will be capable of detecting such bright giant pulses out to a wide range of Galactic distances; from $\sim$8 to $\sim$30 kpc depending on the frequency. The MWA-LFD will thus be a highly promising instrument for the studies of giant pulses and other fast radio transients at low frequencies.

10 pages, 6 figures, Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal

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• A Giant Sample of Giant Pulses from the Crab Pulsar
• The High Time and Frequency Resolution Capabilities of the Murchison Widefield Array
• Bright Giant Pulses from the Crab Nebula Pulsar: Statistical Properties, Pulse Broadening and Scattering due to the Nebula
• Spectral Flattening at Low Frequencies in Crab Giant Pulses
• Discovery of a Meter-Wavelength Radio Transient in the SWIRE Deep Field: 1046+59
• Observations of Crab Giant Pulses in 20-84 MHz using LWA1
• Statistical Studies of Giant Pulse Emission from the Crab Pulsar
• Probing pulsar scattering between 120 and 280 MHz with the MWA
• A Low Frequency Survey of Giant Pulses from the Crab Pulsar
• Millisecond Imaging of Radio Transients with the Pocket Correlator
• Simultaneous Observations of Giant Pulses from the Crab Pulsar, with the Murchison Widefield Array and Parkes Radio Telescope: Implications for the Giant Pulse Emission Mechanism
• Detection of fast transients with radio interferometric arrays
• Radio Wavelength Transients: Current and Emerging Prospects
• Measurements of the Crab Pulsar's Giant Radio Pulse Amplitude Power-Law Index Using Low-Frequency Arecibo and Green Bank Telescope Observations