Crab Pulsar Research Articles

The Crab pulsar: ion-proton plasma and high-frequency radio spectrum

Salient features of the remarkable band structure seen in the high-frequency interpulse of the Crab pulsar are summarized. It is argued that its source must lie in a current sheet, probably coincident with the open-closed magnetosphere separatrix, and that the mechanism is a form of one-pass free-electron laser. An outward moving electron component in the current sheet interacts with the longitudinal electric field of an inward directed ion-proton Lamgmuir mode. The band structure is then a natural consequence of the differing charge-to-mass ratios of the ions, which are a return current component of those accelerated, as in almost all pulsars, from the polar cap to the light cylinder.

VHE gamma ray astronomy with HAGAR telescope array

HAGAR, an array of seven atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes located at Hanle in Himalayas, has been observing VHE gamma ray sources since September 2008. Taking advantage of the high altitude location, HAGAR could achieve an energy threshold of about 200 GeV. Several astronomical sources, mostly pulsars and blazar class active galactic nuclei, have been observed in the last nine years. Pulsations from Crab pulsar and emission from blazars Mkn 421 and Mkn 501 has been detected successfully. Details of HAGAR telescope array will be given and some important results will be discussed. Also the future plans will be described briefly.

Temporal variations in scattering and dispersion measure in the Crab Pulsar and their effect on timing precision

We have measured variations in scattering time scales in the Crab Pulsar over a 30-year period, using observations made at 610 MHz with the 42-ft telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory. Over more recent years, where regular Lovell Telescope observations at frequencies around 1400 MHz were available, we have also determined the dispersion measure variations, after disentangling the scattering delay from the dispersive delay. We demonstrate a relationship between scattering and dispersion measure variations, with a correlation coefficient of $0.56\pm0.01$. The short time scales over which these quantities vary, the size of the variations, and the close correlation between scattering and dispersion measure all suggest that the effects are due to discrete structures within the Crab Nebula, with size scales of $\sim6$ AU (corresponding to an angular size of $\sim2$ mas at an assumed distance of 2200 pc). We mitigate the effects of scattering on the observed pulse shape by using the measured scattering information to modify the template used for generating the pulse arrival times, thus improving the precision to which the pulsar can be timed. We test this on timing data taken during periods of high scattering, and obtain a factor of two improvement in the root mean square of the timing residuals.

A Model for the Source of Quasi-Harmonic Bursts on the Crab Pulsar

A model for the source of microwave bursts from the Crab pulsar in the form of a current sheet with a transversemagnetic field has been investigated. The emission generation mechanism is based on the excitation of plasma waves at the double plasma resonance frequencies in a nonrelativistic nonequilibrium plasma followed by their scattering into electromagnetic waves that escape from the current sheet into the neutron star magnetosphere. The basic parameters of the source explaining the observed characteristics of quasi-harmonic bursts in the interpulses of radio emission from this pulsar have been established.

Testing the Weak Equivalence Principle Using Optical and Near-infrared Crab Pulses

Abstract The Weak Equivalence Principle states that the geodesics of a test particle in a gravitational field are independent of the particle’s constitution. To constrain violations of the Weak Equivalence Principle, we use the one-meter telescope at Table Mountain Observatory near Los Angeles to monitor the relative arrival times of pulses from the Crab Pulsar in the optical (λ ≈ 585 nm) and near-infrared (λ ≈ 814 nm) using an instrument that detects single photons with nanosecond-timing resolution in those two bands. The infrared pulse arrives slightly before the visible pulse. Our three analysis methods give delays with statistical errors of Δt obs = 7.41 ± 0.58, 0.4 ± 3.6, and 7.35 ± 4.48 microseconds (at most 1/4000 of the pulsar period). We attribute this discrepancy to systematic error from the fact that the visible and infrared pulses have slightly different shapes. Whether this delay emerges from the pulsar, is caused by passing through wavelength-dependent media, or is caused by a violation of the equivalence principle, unless there is a fine-tuned cancellation among these, we set the first upper limit on the differential post-Newtonian parameter at these wavelengths of Δγ < 1.07 × 10−10 (3σ). This result falls in an unexplored region of parameter space and complements existing limits on equivalence-principle violation from fast radio bursts, gamma-ray bursts, as well as previous limits from the Crab.

A new explorer mission for soft X-ray timing - Observation of the Crab pulsar

We discusse the current X-ray observation results of Crab pulsar obtained with the Time-resolved soft X-ray spectrometer, X-ray pulsar navigation 1 satellite launched on Nov. 10, 2016, summarize the 162 observations of the TSXS from MJD 57709 to MJD 57872, and introduce the propositional method of data reduction. We compare these observation results in the 0.5–9.0 keV energy band with the radio timing parameters by folding the profiles with radio timing ephemerides derived from Jodrell Bank and estimating the phase delay results. The statistical error of post fit time correction is 55.94 μs (root mean square). These achievements verify the effectiveness of the Time-resolved soft X-ray spectrometer and laid the foundation of the future work of the X-ray pulsar navigation 1 mission.

The largest glitch observed in the Crab pulsar

We have observed a large glitch in the Crab pulsar (PSR B0531+21). The glitch occurred around MJD 58064 (2017 November 8) when the pulsar underwent an increase in the rotation rate of $\Delta \nu = 1.530 \times 10^{-5}$ Hz, corresponding to a fractional increase of $\Delta \nu / \nu = 0.516 \times 10^{-6}$ making this event the largest glitch ever observed in this source. Due to our high-cadence and long-dwell time observations of the Crab pulsar we are able to partially resolve a fraction of the total spin-up of the star. This delayed spin-up occurred over a timescale of $\sim$1.7 days and is similar to the behaviour seen in the 1989 and 1996 large Crab pulsar glitches. The spin-down rate also increased at the glitch epoch by $\Delta \dot{\nu} / \dot{\nu} = 7 \times 10^{-3}$. In addition to being the largest such event observed in the Crab, the glitch occurred after the longest period of glitch inactivity since at least 1984 and we discuss a possible relationship between glitch size and waiting time. No changes to the shape of the pulse profile were observed near the glitch epoch at 610 MHz or 1520 MHz, nor did we identify any changes in the X-ray flux from the pulsar. The long-term recovery from the glitch continues to progress as $\dot{\nu}$ slowly rises towards pre-glitch values. In line with other large Crab glitches, we expect there to be a persistent change to $\dot{\nu}$. We continue to monitor the long-term recovery with frequent, high quality observations.

Author Correction: Phase-resolved X-ray polarimetry of the Crab pulsar with the AstroSat CZT Imager

In the Supplementary Information file originally published for this Letter, in Supplementary Fig. 7 the error bars for the polarization fraction were provided as confidence intervals but instead should have been Bayesian credibility intervals. This has been corrected and does not alter the conclusions of the Letter in any way.

3p-D-10 天体硬X線/γ線バックグラウンド検出器 : Welcome-1(MkII)によるかにパルサーの観測

3p-D-10 天体硬X線/γ線バックグラウンド検出器 : Welcome-1(MkII)によるかにパルサーの観測

In-orbit performance of the soft X-ray imaging system aboard Hitomi (ASTRO-H)

Abstract We describe the in-orbit performance of the soft X-ray imaging system consisting of the Soft X-ray Telescope and the Soft X-ray Imager aboard Hitomi. Verification and calibration of imaging and spectroscopic performance are carried out, making the best use of the limited data of less than three weeks. Basic performance, including a large field of view of ${38^{\prime }}$ × ${38^{\prime }}$, is verified with the first-light image of the Perseus cluster of galaxies. Amongst the small number of observed targets, the on-minus-off pulse image for the out-of-time events of the Crab pulsar enables us to measure the half-power diameter of the telescope as ∼${1 {^{\prime}_{.}} 3}$. The average energy resolution measured with the onboard calibration source events at 5.89 keV is 179 ± 3 eV in full width at half maximum. Light leak and crosstalk issues affected the effective exposure time and the effective area, respectively, because all the observations were performed before optimizing an observation schedule and the parameters for the dark-level calculation. Screening the data affected by these two issues, we measure the background level to be 5.6 × 10−6 counts s−1 arcmin−2 cm−2 in the energy band of 5–12 keV, which is seven times lower than that of the Suzaku XIS-BI.

Magnetic absorption of VHE photons in the magnetosphere of the Crab pulsar

The detection of the pulsed $\sim 1 $~TeV gamma-ray emission from the Crab pulsar reported by MAGIC and VERITAS collaborations demands a substantial revision of existing models of particle acceleration in the pulsar magnetosphere. In this regard model independent restrictions on the possible production site of the VHE photons become an important issue. In this paper, we consider limitations imposed by the process of conversion of VHE gamma rays into $e^{\pm}$ pairs in the magnetic field of the pulsar magnetosphere. Photons with energies exceeding 1~TeV are effectively absorbed even at large distances from the surface of the neutron star. Our calculations of magnetic absorption in the force-free magnetosphere show that the twisting of the magnetic field due to the pulsar rotation makes the magnetosphere more transparent compared to the dipole magnetosphere. The gamma-ray absorption appears stronger for photons emitted in the direction of rotation than in the opposite direction. There is a small angular cone inside which the magnetosphere is relatively transparent and photons with energy $1.5$~TeV can escape from distances beyond $0.1$~light cylinder radius ($R_{\rm{lc}}$). The emission surface from where photons can be emitted in the observer's direction further restricts the sites of VHE gamma-ray production. For the observation angle $57^{\circ}$ relative to the Crab pulsar axis of rotation and the orthogonal rotation, the emission surface in the open field line region is located as close as $0.4\,R_{\rm{lc}}$ from the stellar surface for a dipole magnetic field, and $0.1\,R_{\rm{lc}}$ for a force-free magnetic field.

Polarimetric Evidence of the First White Dwarf Pulsar: The Binary System AR Scorpii

The binary star AR Scorpii was recently discovered to exhibit high amplitude coherent variability across the electromagnetic spectrum (ultraviolet to radio) at two closely spaced ∼2 min periods, attributed to the spin period of a white dwarf and the beat period. There is strong evidence (low X-ray luminosity, lack of flickering and absense of broad emission lines) that AR Sco is a detached non-accreting system whose luminosity is dominated by the spin-down power of a white dwarf, due to magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) interactions with its M5 companion. Optical polarimetry has revealed highly pulsed linear polarization on the same periods, reaching a maximum of 40%, consistent with a pulsar-like dipole, with the Stokes Q and U variations reminiscent of the Crab pulsar. These observations, coupled with the spectral energy distribution (SED) which is dominated by non-thermal emission, characteristic of synchrotron emission, support the notion that a strongly magnetic (∼200 MG) white dwarf is behaving like a pulsar, whose magnetic field interacts with the secondary star’s photosphere and magnetosphere. Radio synchrotron emission is produced from the pumping action of the white dwarf’s magnetic field on coronal loops from the M-star companion, while emission at high frequencies (UV/optical/X-ray) comes from the particle wind, driven by large electric potential, again reminiscent of processes seen in neutron star pulsars.

A method of calibrating effective area of focusing X-ray detector by using normal spectrum of Crab pulsar

X-ray detector is a core component for X-ray astronomical observation and pulsar navigation.The on-orbit observation performance of X-ray detector will change gradually,owing to the influences of emission vibration,radiation damage of high-energy particles,and the aging of the components.The on-orbit calibration of X-ray detector facilitates the accurate acquisition and the precise modeling of X-ray radiation of the observation celestial bodies.In this paper a new method of calibrating the performance of X-ray detector is studied by using the radiation spectrum of the pulsar, which can effectively eliminate the influences from detector background and space environment noise.The on-orbit performance of the first focusing X-ray detector in China has been evaluated by analyzing the observations of the X-ray pulsar-based navigation satellite-1(XPNAV-1) for the Crab pulsar.The XPNAV-1 was launched in November 2016, with the aim of conducting the test of the feasibility of applying the regular emission of X-ray signals from pulsars to spacecraft navigation.Now,the first batch of scientific data about the Crab pulsar observations gained by the focusing X-ray detector for almost one month has been released.The pulse profiles of 124 observations and the total observational spectrum of Crab pulsar are achieved from those data.According to the international accurate X-ray radiation parameters of Crab pulsar,which have been determined by other X-ray space satellites,together with the absorption effect of the neutral hydrogen gas in the universe,the effective area of the focusing X-ray detector is estimated.The result shows that the effective area of the focusing X-ray detector on XPNAV-1 in an energy range of 0.6-1.9 keV is better than 2 cm2.The maximum effective area is 3.06 cm2 at an energy of 0.7 keV,which means that its detection efficiency is about 10%.As the observed energy increases,the effective area decreases.The area of the focusing X-ray detector in an energy range of 2-3.5 keV is about 1 cm2,and it is about 0.1 cm2 at energies above 5 keV,and its estimation accuracy is affected seriously by the statistical errors of X-ray photons.At the same time,another method of calibrating the effective area is studied by considering the energy response matrix of detector.The energy response matrix of the focusing X-ray detector is estimated by using the five ground test values of energy resolution.The effective area of the focusing X-ray detector is re-calibrated.However,the result shows that the energy response matrix exerts little effect on the effective area of the focusing X-ray detector.Finally,we suggest that the XPNAV-1 should observe some supernova remnants to monitor the changes of energy resolution and energy linearity and so on.

Magnetic Axis Drift and Magnetic Spot Formation in Neutron Stars with Toroidal Fields

Abstract We explore magnetic field configurations that lead to the formation of magnetic spots on the surface of neutron stars and the displacement of the magnetic dipole axis. We find that a toroidally dominated magnetic field is essential for the generation of a single spot with a strong magnetic field. Once a spot forms, it survives for several million years, even after the total magnetic field has decayed significantly. We find that the dipole axis is not stationary with respect to the neutron star’s surface and does not in general coincide with the location of the magnetic spot. This is due to non-axisymmetric instabilities of the toroidal field that displace the poloidal dipole axis at rates that may reach 0.°4 per century. A misaligned poloidal dipole axis with the toroidal field leads to more significant displacement of the dipole axis than the fully aligned case. Finally we discuss the evolution of neutron stars with such magnetic fields on the diagram and the observational implications. We find that neutron stars spend a very short time before they cross the Death Line of the diagram, compared to their characteristic ages. Moreover, the maximum intensity of their surface magnetic field is substantially higher than the dipole component of the field. We argue that SGR 0418+5729 could be an example of this type of behavior, having a weak dipole field, yet hosting a magnetic spot responsible for its magnetar behavior. The evolution on the pulse profile and braking index of the Crab pulsar, which are attributed to an increase of its obliquity, are compatible with the anticipated drift of the magnetic axis.

Confirming the nature of the knot near the pulsar B1951+32

The energetic and fast-moving radio and γ-ray pulsar B1951+32 is associated with the supernova remnant CTB 80. It powers a complex pulsar wind nebula detected in the radio, Hα and X-rays (Moon et al 2004 ApJ 610 L33). A puzzling optical knot was detected about 0″.5 from the pulsar in the optical and near-IR (Moon et al 2004 ApJ 610 L33; Hester 2000 Bulletin of the AAS 32 1542). It is reminiscent of the unique “inner optical knot” located 0″.6 from the Crab pulsar. Until now there has been no evidence that B1951+32 knot is indeed associated with the pulsar.We observed the pulsar field with the Gemini-North telescope in 2016 to check the association. We performed first near-IR high spatial resolution imaging in the Ks band using the NIRI+Altair instrument and deep optical imaging in the gr bands using the GMOS instrument. Our observations showed that the current knot position is shifted by ≈ 0″.6 from the position measured with the HST in 1997. This is consistent with the known pulsar proper motion and is direct evidence of the pulsar–knot connection. We compared the spectral energy distribution of the knot emission with that of the Crab knot. Possible implications of the results are discussed.

The Crab Pulsar and Relativistic Wind

Abstract The possibility that the Crab pulsar produces a separated ion-dominated and pair-plasma-dominated, magnetically striped relativistic wind is assessed by rough estimates of the polar cap acceleration of the ion and electron primary beams, the pair production of secondary electrons and positrons, and a simple model of the near-magnetosphere-wind zone. For simplicity, only the orthogonal rotator is considered. Below (above) the rotational equator, ions (electrons) are accelerated in a thin sheath, of order (much less than) the width of the polar cap, to Lorentz factor . The accelerating parallel electric field is shorted out by ion–photon (curvature synchrotron) pair production. With strong, but fairly reasonable, assumptions, a set of general magnetic geometry relativistic wind equations is derived and shown to reduce to conservation relations that are similar to those of the wind from a magnetic monopole. The strength of the field-aligned currents carried by the primary beams is determined by the wind’s Alfvén critical point condition to be about eight times the Goldreich–Julian value. A simple model for the transition from the dipole region wind to the asymptotic monopole wind zone is developed. The asymptotic ratio of Poynting flux to ion (pair plasma) kinetic energy flux—the wind -parameter—is found to be of order . The far wind zone is likely to be complex, with the ion-dominated and pair-plasma-dominated magnetic stripes merging, and the oppositely directed azimuthal magnetic fields annihilating.

The glitch activity of neutron stars

We present a statistical study of the glitch population and the behaviour of the glitch activity across the known population of neutron stars. An unbiased glitch database was put together based on systematic searches of radio timing data of 898 rotation-powered pulsars obtained with the Jodrell Bank and Parkes observatories. Glitches identified in similar searches of 5 magnetars were also included. The database contains 384 glitches found in the rotation of 141 of these neutron stars. We confirm that the glitch size distribution is at least bimodal, with one sharp peak at approximately $20\, \rm{\mu\,Hz}$, which we call large glitches, and a broader distribution of smaller glitches. We also explored how the glitch activity $\dot{\nu}_{\rm{g}}$, defined as the mean frequency increment per unit of time due to glitches, correlates with the spin frequency $\nu$, spin-down rate $|\dot{\nu}|$, and various combinations of these, such as energy loss rate, magnetic field, and spin-down age. It is found that the activity is insensitive to the magnetic field and that it correlates strongly with the energy loss rate, though magnetars deviate from the trend defined by the rotation-powered pulsars. However, we find that a constant ratio $\dot\nu_{\rm{g}}/|\dot\nu| = 0.010 \pm 0.001$ is consistent with the behaviour of all rotation-powered pulsars and magnetars. This relation is dominated by large glitches, which occur at a rate directly proportional to $|\dot{\nu}|$. The only exception are the rotation-powered pulsars with the highest values of $|\dot{\nu}|$, such as the Crab pulsar and PSR B0540$-$69, which exhibit a much smaller glitch activity, intrinsically different from each other and from the rest of the population. The activity due to small glitches also shows an increasing trend with $|\dot\nu|$, but this relation is biased by selection effects.

Radiation reflection from star surface reveals the mystery of interpulse shift and appearance of high frequency components in the Crab pulsar

A new mechanism of radiation emission in the polar gap of a pulsar is discussed. It is based on the curvature radiation which is emitted by positrons moving towards the surface of neutron star along field lines of the inclined magnetic field and reflects from the surface. This mechanism explains the mystery of the interpulse shift and appearance of additional components in the emission of Crab pulsar at high frequencies discovered by Moffett and Hankins twenty years ago. We discuss coherence, energy flux and spectrum of the reflected radiation, appearance and disappearance of the interpulse position shift with the frequency increase. It is also possible that a nonlinear reflection (stimulated scattering) from the star surface is observed in the form of HF components. The frequency drift of these components, discovered by Hankins, Jones and Eilek, is discussed. The nonlinear reflection is associated with “Wood’s anomaly” at the diffracted waves grazing along the star surface. Two components can arise due to slow and fast waves which are present in the magnetospheric plasma. The possible scheme of their appearance due to birefringence at the reflection is also proposed.

Neutron stars: Observational diversity and evolution

Ever since the discovery of the Crab and Vela pulsars in their respective Supernova Remnants, our understanding of how neutron stars manifest themselves observationally has been dramatically shaped by the surge of discoveries and dedicated studies across the electromagnetic spectrum, particularly in the high-energy band. The growing diversity of neutron stars includes the highly magnetized neutron stars (magnetars) and the Central Compact Objects shining in X-rays and mostly lacking pulsar wind nebulae. These two subclasses of high-energy objects, however, seem to be characterized by anomalously high or anomalously low surface magnetic fields (thus dubbed as ‘magnetars’ and ‘anti-magnetars’, respectively), and have pulsar characteristic ages that are often much offset from their associated SNRs’ ages. In addition, some neutron stars act ‘schizophrenic’ in that they occasionally display properties that seem common to more than one of the defined subclasses.I review the growing diversity of neutron stars from an observational perspective, then highlight recent and on-going theoretical and observational work attempting to address this diversity, particularly in light of their magnetic field evolution, energy loss mechanisms, and supernova progenitors’ studies.

E-ASTROGAM mission: a major step forward for gamma-ray polarimetry

e-ASTROGAM is a gamma-ray space mission proposed for the fifth medium-size mission (M5) of the European Space Agency. It is dedicated to the study of the nonthermal universe in the photon energy range from ∼0.15 MeV to 3 GeV with unprecedented sensitivity and angular and energy resolution, together with a ground-breaking capability for gamma-ray polarimetric measurements over its entire bandwidth. We discuss here the main polarization results expected at low energies, between 150 keV and 5 MeV, using Compton interactions in the e-ASTROGAM instrument, from observations of active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, microquasars, and the Crab Pulsar and Nebula. The anticipated performance of the proposed observatory for polarimetry is illustrated by simulations of the polarization signals expected from various sources. We show that polarimetric analyses with e-ASTROGAM should provide definitive insight into the geometry, magnetization, and content of the high-energy plasmas found in the emitting sources, as well as on the processes of radiation of these plasmas.