ON THE BRAKING INDEX OF THE UNUSUAL HIGH-B ROTATION-POWERED PULSAR PSR J1846-0258

R. F. Archibald; V. M. Kaspi; A. P. Beardmore; N. Gehrels; J. A. Kennea

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/810/1/67

ON THE BRAKING INDEX OF THE UNUSUAL HIGH-B ROTATION-POWERED PULSAR PSR J1846-0258

R. F. Archibald, V. M. Kaspi, A. P. Beardmore, N. Gehrels, J. A. Kennea

Astronomy & Astrophysics

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43 Scopus citations

Abstract

PSR J1846-0258 is an object that straddles the boundary between magnetars and rotation powered pulsars. Though behaving for many years as a rotation-powered pulsar, in 2006, it exhibited distinctly magnetar-like behavior - emitting several short hard X-ray bursts, and a flux increase. Here we report on 7 years of post-outburst timing observations of PSR J1846-0258 using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer and the Swift X-ray Telescope. We measure the braking index over the post-magnetar outburst period to be n = 2.19 ± 0.03. This represents a change of Δn = -0.46 ± 0.03 or a 14.5σ difference from the pre-outburst braking index of n = 2.65 ± 0.01, which itself was measured over a span of 6.5 years. A change to a pulsar braking index so large and long-lived is unprecedented and poses a significant challenge to models of pulsar spin-down.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	67
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	810
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/810/1/67
State	Published - Sep 1 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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title = "ON THE BRAKING INDEX OF THE UNUSUAL HIGH-B ROTATION-POWERED PULSAR PSR J1846-0258",

abstract = "PSR J1846-0258 is an object that straddles the boundary between magnetars and rotation powered pulsars. Though behaving for many years as a rotation-powered pulsar, in 2006, it exhibited distinctly magnetar-like behavior - emitting several short hard X-ray bursts, and a flux increase. Here we report on 7 years of post-outburst timing observations of PSR J1846-0258 using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer and the Swift X-ray Telescope. We measure the braking index over the post-magnetar outburst period to be n = 2.19 ± 0.03. This represents a change of Δn = -0.46 ± 0.03 or a 14.5σ difference from the pre-outburst braking index of n = 2.65 ± 0.01, which itself was measured over a span of 6.5 years. A change to a pulsar braking index so large and long-lived is unprecedented and poses a significant challenge to models of pulsar spin-down.",

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AU - Archibald, R. F.

AU - Kaspi, V. M.

AU - Beardmore, A. P.

AU - Gehrels, N.

AU - Kennea, J. A.

PY - 2015/9/1

Y1 - 2015/9/1

N2 - PSR J1846-0258 is an object that straddles the boundary between magnetars and rotation powered pulsars. Though behaving for many years as a rotation-powered pulsar, in 2006, it exhibited distinctly magnetar-like behavior - emitting several short hard X-ray bursts, and a flux increase. Here we report on 7 years of post-outburst timing observations of PSR J1846-0258 using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer and the Swift X-ray Telescope. We measure the braking index over the post-magnetar outburst period to be n = 2.19 ± 0.03. This represents a change of Δn = -0.46 ± 0.03 or a 14.5σ difference from the pre-outburst braking index of n = 2.65 ± 0.01, which itself was measured over a span of 6.5 years. A change to a pulsar braking index so large and long-lived is unprecedented and poses a significant challenge to models of pulsar spin-down.

AB - PSR J1846-0258 is an object that straddles the boundary between magnetars and rotation powered pulsars. Though behaving for many years as a rotation-powered pulsar, in 2006, it exhibited distinctly magnetar-like behavior - emitting several short hard X-ray bursts, and a flux increase. Here we report on 7 years of post-outburst timing observations of PSR J1846-0258 using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer and the Swift X-ray Telescope. We measure the braking index over the post-magnetar outburst period to be n = 2.19 ± 0.03. This represents a change of Δn = -0.46 ± 0.03 or a 14.5σ difference from the pre-outburst braking index of n = 2.65 ± 0.01, which itself was measured over a span of 6.5 years. A change to a pulsar braking index so large and long-lived is unprecedented and poses a significant challenge to models of pulsar spin-down.

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ON THE BRAKING INDEX OF THE UNUSUAL HIGH-B ROTATION-POWERED PULSAR PSR J1846-0258

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