Parkes observations for project P1173 semester 2022OCTS_03

Spider pulsar systems are compact binary pulsars with low-mass companions in tight orbits, where the primary pulsar is ablating the secondary through the output of high-energy radiation and pulsar wind due to proximity. These systems present an interesting opportunity to probe the mechanisms related to the destruction of these low-mass bodies in the radio regime, as debris surrounding the ablated secondary companion causes the pulsar emission to propagate and scatter as it moves through it, along our line of sight - revealing details of the complex, turbulent structure of this region. Recent studies have shown that the eclipsing region can cause pulsar signals to scatter, revealing small-scale structure of the turbulent field, as well as a strong variation in the pulsar’s polarsiation, rotation measure and dispersion measure. Under this proposal, we wish to study two known spider pulsars for their full orbit with the Parkes UWL capability – which has not been achieved by any other telescope. This will give us the opportunity to analyse he eclipsing effects of these systems.