Previous | Session 81 | Next | Author Index | Block Schedule
R.L. Pulliam (Radford University), A. Minter (NRAO, Advisor)
Pulsars found in globular clusters allow for the determination of the filling fraction of electrons in the warm interstellar medium by comparing the measured DM and EM values along the line of sight to the cluster. Reynolds, et al. (1991, ApJ, 372, 17L) used pulsars towards 4 globular clusters and found that the filling fraction of electrons along the line of sight was about 0.20. Over the past decade, many more pulsars in globular clusters have been discovered and therefore it is of interest to further investigate the filling fraction within the medium. Currently there are 8 clusters containing pulsars that can be used. Using these 8 clusters we have found an average filling fraction of 0.19. There is marginal evidence that the filling factor increases with increasing distance out of the plane. The data indicate that more detailed analysis is needed with the effects of the local bubble needing to be taken into account.
Funding was provided by NSF and NRAO.
Previous | Session 81 | Next
Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #4
© 2005. The American Astronomical Soceity.