PSR J0437-4715 Research Articles

Single-pulse observations of the Galactic Center magnetar PSR J1745−2900 at 3.1 GHz

We report on single-pulse observations of the Galactic Center magnetar PSR J1745$-$2900 that were made using the Parkes 64-m radio telescope with a central frequency of 3.1 GHz at five observing epochs between 2013 July and August. The shape of the integrated pulse profiles was relatively stable across the five observations, indicating that the pulsar was in a stable state between MJDs 56475 and 56514. This extends the known stable state of this pulsar to 6.8 months. Short term pulse shape variations were also detected. It is shown that this pulsar switches between two emission modes frequently and that the typical duration of each mode is about ten minutes. No giant pulses or subpulse drifting were observed. Apparent nulls in the pulse emission were detected on MJD 56500. Although there are many differences between the radio emission of magnetars and normal radio pulsars, they also share some properties. The detection of mode changing and pulse nulling in PSR J1745$-$2900 suggests that the basic radio emission process for magnetars and normal pulsars is the same.

The Glitches and Rotational History of the Highly Energetic Young Pulsar PSR J0537–6910

Abstract We present a timing and glitch analysis of the young X-ray pulsar PSR J0537−6910, located within the Large Magellanic Cloud, using 13 yr of data from the now-decommissioned Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. Rotating with a spin period of 16 ms, PSR J0537−6910 is the fastest-spinning and most energetic young pulsar known. It also displays the highest glitch activity of any known pulsar. We have found 42 glitches over the data span, corresponding to a glitch rate of 3.2 yr−1, with an overall glitch activity rate of . The high glitch frequency has allowed us to study the glitch behavior in ways that are inaccessible in other pulsars. We observe a strong linear correlation between spin frequency glitch magnitude and wait time to the following glitch. We also find that the post-glitch spin-down recovery is well described by a single two-component model fit to all glitches for which we have adequate input data. This consists of an exponential amplitude , decay timescale s, and linear slope . The latter slope corresponds to a second frequency derivative , from which we find an implied braking index . We also present a maximum likelihood technique for searching for periods in event-time data, which we used to both confirm previously published values and determine rotation frequencies in later observations. We discuss the implied constraints on glitch models from the observed behavior of this system, which we argue cannot be fully explained in the context of existing theories.

Large Magneto-ionic Variations toward the Galactic Center Magnetar, PSR J1745-2900

Abstract Polarized radio emission from PSR J1745−2900 has already been used to investigate the strength of the magnetic field in the Galactic center (GC), close to Sagittarius A*. Here we report how persistent radio emission from this magnetar, for over four years since its discovery, has revealed large changes in the observed Faraday rotation measure (RM), by up to 3500 rad m−2 (a 5% fractional change). From simultaneous analysis of the dispersion measure, we determine that these fluctuations are dominated by variations in either the projected magnetic field or the free electron content within the GC, along the changing line of sight to the rapidly moving magnetar. From a structure function analysis of RM variations, and a recent epoch of rapid change of RM, we determine a minimum scale of magneto-ionic fluctuations of size ∼2 au at the GC distance, inferring PSR J1745−2900 is just ∼0.1 pc behind an additional scattering screen.

Could the low‐braking‐index pulsar PSR J1734–3333 evolve into a magnetar?

The low braking index pulsar PSR J1734−3333 could be born with a superhigh internal magnetic field of 1014–1016 G, and undergo a supercritical accretion soon after its formation in a supernova explosion. The buried multipole magnetic fields will merger into a dipole magnetic field. Since the magnetic flow transfers from the core to the crust of the pulsar, its surface dipole field grows quickly at a power‐law form assumed until it saturates at the level of internal dipole field. The increase in surface dipole magnetic field results in the small braking index of n = 0.9. Keeping the current field‐growth index ϵ = 1.34, this pulsar will become a magnetar with surface dipole magnetic field at the equator Bd ∼ 2.6(1) × 1014 G and ∼5.3(2) × 1014 G after next 50 kyrs and 100 kys, respectively.

PSR J1119–6127 and Its Pulsar Wind Nebula Following the Magnetar-like Bursts

Abstract We present a Chandra Director’s Discretionary Time observation of PSR J1119–6127 and its compact X-ray pulsar wind nebula (PWN) obtained on 2016 October 27, three months after the Fermi and Swift detection of millisecond bursts in hard X-rays, accompanied by a ≳160 times increase in flux. This magnetar-like activity, the first observed from a rotation-powered radio pulsar, provides an important probe of the physical processes that differentiate radio pulsars from magnetars. The post-burst X-ray spectrum of the pulsar can be described by a single power-law model with a photon index of 2.0 ± 0.2 and an unabsorbed flux of 10−12 erg cm−2 s−1 in the 0.5–7.0 keV energy range. At the time of Chandra observations, the pulsar was still brighter by a factor of ∼22 in comparison with its quiescence. The X-ray images reveal a nebula brighter than in the pre-burst Chandra observations (from 2002 and 2004), with an unabsorbed flux of 10−13 erg cm−2 s−1. This implies a current X-ray efficiency of at a distance of 8.4 kpc. In addition, a faint torus-like structure is visible along the southeast–northwest direction and a jet-like feature perpendicular to the torus toward the southwest. The PWN is best fitted by an absorbed power-law with a photon index of 2.2 ± 0.5 (post-burst). While the pulsar can still be energetically powered by rotation, the observed changes in PSR J1119–6127 and its PWN following the magnetar-like bursts point to an additional source of energy powered by its high magnetic field.

Modeling of relativistic pulsar wind interaction with the interstellar medium

The consistent interpretation of the multiwavelength pulsar wind nebula observations require studying of interaction of a relativistic pulsar wind with the interstellar medium (ISM). In this paper we present the results of the Monte-Carlo modeling of the test particle propagation in a pulsar wind nebula beyond the pulsar wind termination shock. The non-thermal electron-positron spectra in the pulsar wind nebula and in the vicinity of the pulsar bow shock are derived in case of the supersonic proper motion of the pulsar through the ISM. The synchrotron emission images of the pulsar wind nebula at photon energies in the far ultraviolet and soft X-ray ranges are constructed. We discuss a possible interpretation of the recent HST and Chandra observations of the pulsar wind nebula associated with the PSR J0437-4715 in the frame of the model.

Minimum glitch of the Crab pulsar and the crustquake as a trigger mechanism

We discuss the minimum glitch size of Crab observed by Espinoza et al. (2014). Modelling the crustquake as a trigger mechanism we estimate the size of the broken plate. The plate size obtained, D $\sim 100 m$ is comparable to plate size estimates for PSR J1119--6127. The plate size naturally leads to an estimate of the number of unpinned vortices involved in the glitch, $N \sim 10^{13} $. This number is of the same order in all Crab and Vela pulsar glitches. The mimimum glitch relates the constancy of all these numbers among different pulsars to the basic plate size involved in crust breaking. This in turn depends on the critical strain angle $\theta_{cr}$ of the Coulomb lattice in the neutron star crust. The minimum glitch size implies $\theta_{cr} \sim 10^{-1}$ in agreement with theoretical and computational estimates.

Pulsar glitch and nuclear EoS: Applicability of superfluid model

AbstractIn this contribution, we have made use of the contemporary equation of states (EOSs) for the complete neutron star structure, and confronted them with one particular glitch constrain for the crustal moment of inertia (MOI). We find that with these EOSs, the radii of three millisecond pulsars selected by NICER: PSR J0437-4715, PSR J1614-2230, PSR J0751+1807, are all around 12.5 km. Also, a star with M ≲ 1.55M⊙ would fulfill the MOI calculation for glitch constrain with the latest neutron superfluidity density, and the glitch crisis might not be present.

The broad X-ray emission of the millisecond pulsar PSR J0437–4715

AbstractThe nearest millisecond pulsar PSR J0437–4715 is the ideal target to constrain the dense matter equation of state using the lightcurve modelling method. Our analysis combining XMM-Newton, NuSTAR, and ROSAT observations removed ambiguities in the spectral modelling of the surface emission from PSR J0437–4715. Furthermore, the NuSTAR observation demonstrated that the non-thermal hard tail emission was pulsed at the pulsar spin period. These features are crucial to model the lightcurve and to measure the radius of the neutron star. This conference proceeding is based on the publication Guillot et al. (2016).

Pulsar Wind Nebulae with Bow Shocks: Non-thermal Radiation and Cosmic Ray Leptons

Pulsars with high spin-down power produce relativistic winds radiating a fraction of the power in the range from radio to gamma-rays in the pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe). The rest of the power is dissipated in the interactions of the PWNe with the interstellar medium (ISM). Some of the PWNe are moving relative to the ISM with supersonic speeds producing bow shocks. In this case, the ultrarelativistic particles accelerated at the termination surface of the pulsar wind may be reaccelerated in the converging flow system formed by the outflow from the wind termination shock and the inflow from the bow shock. An outcome of this reacceleration is the creation of particle distributions with hard spectra, such as required to explain the observed synchrotron spectra with photon indices Gamma <~ 1.5. The presence of this hard component is specific to PWNe with bow shocks (BSPWNe). The accelerated particles may end up containing a substantial fraction of the shock ram pressure. For typical ISM and pulsar parameters, the positrons released by these systems are numerous enough to contribute a substantial fraction of the positrons detected as galactic cosmic ray particles above few tens and up to several hundred GeV. The escape of ultrarelativistic particles from a BSPWN and its appearance in the far-UV and X-ray bands is determined by the directions of the interstellar magnetic field, the velocity of the astrosphere and the pulsar rotation axis. In this respect we review the observed appearance and multiwavelength spectra of three different types of BSPWNe: PSR J0437-4715, the Guitar and Lighthouse nebulae, and Vela-like objects. We argue that high resolution imaging of such objects provides unique information on pulsar winds and on the ISM. We discuss the interpretation of imaging observations and estimate the BSPWN contribution to the positron flux observed at the Earth. (ABRIDGED)

Hubble Space Telescope Detection of the Millisecond Pulsar J2124−3358 and its Far-ultraviolet Bow Shock Nebula

Abstract We observed the nearby millisecond pulsar J2124–3358 with the Hubble Space Telescope in broad far-UV (FUV) and optical filters. The pulsar is detected in both bands with fluxes F(1250–2000 Å) = (2.5 ± 0.3) × 10−16 erg s−1 cm−2 and F(3800–6000 Å) = (6.4 ± 0.4) × 10−17 erg s−1 cm−2, which corresponds to luminosities of ≈5.8 × 1027 and 1.4 × 1027 erg s−1, for d = 410 pc and E(B − V) = 0.03. The optical-FUV spectrum can be described by a power-law model, , with slope α = 0.18–0.48 for a conservative range of color excess, E(B − V) = 0.01–0.08. Since a spectral flux rising with frequency is unusual for pulsar magnetospheric emission in this frequency range, it is possible that the spectrum is predominantly magnetospheric (power law with α &lt; 0) in the optical, while it is dominated by thermal emission from the neutron star surface in the FUV. For a neutron star radius of 12 km, the surface temperature would be between 0.5 × 105 and 2.1 × 105 K for α ranging from −1 to 0, E(B − V) = 0.01–0.08, and d = 340–500 pc. In addition to the pulsar, the FUV images reveal extended emission that is spatially coincident with the known Hα bow shock, making PSR J2124–3358 the second pulsar (after PSR J0437−4715) with a bow shock detected in the FUV.

A digital pulsar backend based on FPGA

A digital pulsar backend based on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is developed. It is designed for incoherent de-dispersion of pulsar observations and has a maximum bandwidth of 512 MHz. The channel bandwidth is fixed to 1 MHz, and the highest time resolution is s. Testing observations were carried out using the Urumqi 25-m telescope administered by Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory and the Kunming 40-m telescope administered by Yunnan Observatories, targeting PSR J0332+5434 in the L band and PSR J0437–4715 in the S band, respectively. The successful observation of PSR J0437–4715 demonstrates its ability to observe millisecond pulsars.

X-RAY/GeV EMISSIONS FROM CRAB-LIKE PULSARS IN THE LMC

ABSTRACT We discuss X-ray and gamma-ray emissions from Crab-like pulsars, PSRs J0537-6910 and J0540-6919, in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Fermi-LAT observations have resolved the gamma-ray emissions from these two pulsars and found pulsed emissions from PSR J0540-6919. The total pulsed radiation in the X-ray/gamma-ray energy bands of PSR J0540-6919 is observed with efficiency (in 4π sr), which is about a factor of ten larger than of the Crab pulsar. Although PSR J0537-6910 has the highest spin-down power among currently known pulsars, the efficiency of the observed X-ray emissions is about two orders of magnitude smaller than that of PSR J0540-6919. This paper mainly discusses what causes the difference in the radiation efficiencies of these three energetic Crab-like pulsars. We discuss electron/positron acceleration and high-energy emission processes within the outer gap model. By solving the outer gap structure with the dipole magnetic field, we show that the radiation efficiency decreases as the inclination angle between the magnetic axis and the rotation axis increases. To explain the difference in the pulse profile and in the radiation efficiency, our model suggests that PSR J0540-6919 has an inclination angle much smaller than that of the Crab pulsar (here we assume the inclination angles of both pulsars are ). On the other hand, we speculate that the difference in the radiation efficiencies between PSRs J0537-6910 and J0549-6919 is mainly caused by the difference in the Earth viewing angle, and that we see PSR J0537-6910 with an Earth viewing angle (or ) measured from the spin axis, while we see PSR J0540-6919 with .

MAGNETAR-LIKE X-RAY BURSTS FROM A ROTATION-POWERED PULSAR, PSR J1119–6127

ABSTRACT Two energetic hard X-ray bursts from the rotation-powered pulsar PSR J1119−6127 recently triggered the Fermi and Swift space observatories. We have performed in-depth spectral and temporal analyses of these two events. Our extensive searches in both observatories’ data for lower luminosity bursts uncovered 10 additional events from the source. We report here on the timing and energetics of the 12 bursts from PSR J1119−6127 during its burst active phase on 2016 July 26 and 28. We also found a spectral softer X-ray flux enhancement in a post-burst episode, which shows evidence of cooling. Here we discuss the implications of these results on the nature of this unusual high-field radio pulsar, which firmly place it within the typical magnetar population.

A model for distortions of polarisation-angle curves in radio pulsars

Some radio pulsar profiles (in particular those of millisecond pulsars contain wide emission structures which cover large intervals of pulse phase. Local distortions of an average curve of polarisation angle (PA) can be identified in such profiles, and they are often found to be associated with absorption features or narrow emission components. The features may be interpreted as a convolution of a lateral profile of an emitter with a microscopic radiation pattern of a non-negligible angular extent. We study a model which assumes that such an extended microbeam of the X-mode curvature radiation is spreading the radiation polarised at a fixed position angle within an interval of pulse phase. The model is capable of interpreting the strongly dissimilar polarisation of double notches in PSR B1821-24A (for which we present new polarisation data from the Nancay Radio Telescope) and PSR J0437-4715. It also explains a step-like change in PA observed at the bifurcated trailing component in the profile of J0437-4715. A generic form of the modelled PA distortion is a zigzag-shaped wiggle, which in the presence of the second polarisation mode (O mode) can be magnified or transformed into a W- or U-shaped deflection of a total net PA. The model's efficiency in interpreting dissimilar polarisation effects provides further credence to the stream-based (fan-beam) geometry of pulsar emission. It also suggests that the microbeam width may not always be assumed negligible in comparison with the angular scale of emissivity gradients in the emission region.

TheNuSTARview of the non-thermal emission from PSR J0437−4715

We present a hard X-ray NuSTAR observation of PSR J0437-4715, the nearest millisecond pulsar. The known pulsations at the apparent pulse period ~5.76 ms are detected at energies up to 20 keV. We measure a photon index $\Gamma= 1.65\pm0.24$ (90% confidence) for the power law fit to the non-thermal emission. It had been shown that spectral models with two or three thermal components fit the XMM-Newton spectrum of PSR J0437-4715, depending on the slope of the power-law component, and the amount of absorption of soft X-rays. The new constraint on the high-energy emission provided by NuSTAR removes ambiguities regarding the thermal components of the emission below 3 keV. We performed a simultaneous spectral analysis of the XMM-Newton and NuSTAR data to confirm that three thermal components and a power law are required to fit the 0.3-20 keV emission of PSR J0437-4715. Adding a ROSAT-PSPC spectrum further confirmed this result and allowed us to better constrain the temperatures of the three thermal components. A phase-resolved analysis of the NuSTAR data revealed no significant change in the photon index of the high-energy emission. This NuSTAR observation provides further impetus for future observations with the NICER mission (Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer) whose sensitivity will provide much stricter constraints on the equation of state of nuclear matter by combining model fits to the pulsar's phase-folded lightcurve with the pulsar's well-defined mass and distance from radio timing observations.

High braking index pulsar PSR J1640-4631: low-mass neutron star with a large inclination angle?

Recent timing observation constrained the braking index of the X-ray pulsar PSR J1640-4631 to be $n=3.15\pm0.03$, which is the highest value of all pulsars with measured braking indices so far. In this Letter, we investigate whether pulsar braking by combined between the magnetic dipole emission and the gravitational radiation might have a braking index greater than three. For conventional neutron star and low mass quark star candidates, the inferred ellipticities derived by the observed braking index are obviously much larger than the theoretical estimated maximum value. If PSR J1640-4631 is a low-mass neutron star with a mass of $0.1~ \rm M_{\odot}$, the inferred ellipticity can be approximately equal to the theoretical estimated maximum value. Because of the radio-quiet nature of this source, we employ the vacuum gap model developed by Ruderman and Sutherland to constrain the inclination angle to be $87.2-90^{\circ}$. Based on this, we propose that a low-mass neutron star with a large inclination angle can interpret the high braking index and the radio-quiet nature of this source. Future observations such as gravitational wave detection and long-term timing for this source are required to confirm or confute our scenario.

21 year timing of the black-widow pulsar J2051−0827

Timing results for the black-widow pulsar J2051−0827 are presented, using a 21-year dataset from four European Pulsar Timing Array telescopes and the Parkes radio telescope. This dataset, which is the longest published to date for a black-widow system, allows for an improved analysis that addresses previously unknown biases. While secular variations, as identified in previous analyses, are recovered, short-term variations are detected for the first time. Concurrently, a significant decrease of ∼2.5×10−3 cm−3pc in the dispersion measure associated with PSR J2051−0827 is measured for the first time and improvements are also made to estimates of the proper motion. Finally, PSR J2051−0827 is shown to have entered a relatively stable state suggesting the possibility of its eventual inclusion in pulsar timing arrays.

Gravitational wave emission by the high braking index pulsar PSR J1640-4631

Recently, a braking index for the pulsar PSR J1640-4631 has been measured. With a braking index of n = 3.15 ± 0.03, this pulsar has the highest braking index ever measured. As it is well known, a pure magnetic dipole brake yields n = 3, whereas a pure gravitational wave (GW) brake yields n = 5. Therefore, each of these mechanisms alone can not account for the braking index found for PSR J1640-4631. Here we consider in detail that such a braking index could be accounted for if the spindown model combines magnetic dipole and GW brakes. Then, we briefly discuss the detectability of this pulsar by aLIGO and the planned Einstein Telescope. In particular, we show that the amplitude of the GW that comes from our model is around a factor four lower than the amplitude modeled exclusively by GW energy loss. Another interesting outcome of our modeling is that it is possible to obtain the ellipticity from the braking index and other pulsar parameters.

Time-domain and spectral properties of pulsars at 154 MHz

We present 154 MHz Murchison Widefield Array imaging observations and variability information for a sample of pulsars. Over the declination range $-80^{\circ} < {\delta} < 10^{\circ}$ we detect 17 known pulsars with mean flux density greater than 0.3 Jy. We explore the variability properties of this sample on timescales of minutes to years. For three of these pulsars, PSR J0953+0755, PSR J0437-4715 and PSR J0630-2834 we observe interstellar scintillation and variability on timescales of greater than 2 minutes. One further pulsar, PSR J0034-0721, showed significant variability, the physical origins of which are difficult to determine. The dynamic spectra for PSR J0953+0755 and PSR J0437-4715 show discrete time and frequency structure consistent with diffractive interstellar scintillation and we present the scintillation bandwidth and timescales from these observations. The remaining pulsars within our sample were statistically non-variable. We also explore the spectral properties of this sample and find spectral curvature in pulsars PSR J0835-4510, PSR J1752-2806 and PSR J0437-4715.