CCO Pulsars as Anti-Magnetars: Evidence of Neutron Stars Weakly Magnetized at Birth

Details CCO Pulsars as Anti-Magnetars: Evidence of Neutron Stars Weakly Magnetized at Birth CCO Pulsars as Anti-Magnetars: Evidence of Neutron Stars Weakly Magnetized at Birth

2007-11-10

arxiv.org/abs/0711.1554v1

AIP Conf.Proc.983:320-324,2008

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

5 pages, 4 figures, Latex, aipproc.cls. To appear in the conference proceedings "40 Years of Pulsars: Millisecond Pulsars, Mag

Scientific paper

10.1063/1.2900174

Our new study of the two central compact object pulsars, PSR J1210-5226 (P = 424 ms) and PSR J1852+0040 (P = 105 ms), leads us to conclude that a weak natal magnetic field shaped their unique observational properties. In the dipole spin-down formalism, the 2-sigma upper limits on their period derivatives, < 2E-16 for both pulsars, implies surface magnetic field strengths of B_s < 3E11 G and spin periods at birth equal to their present periods to three significant digits. Their X-ray luminosities exceed their respective spin-down luminosities, implying that their thermal spectra are derived from residual cooling and perhaps partly from accretion of supernova debris. For sufficiently weak magnetic fields an accretion disk can penetrate the light cylinder and interact with the magnetosphere while resulting torques on the neutron star remain within the observed limits. We propose the following as the origin of radio-quiet CCOs: the magnetic field, derived from a turbulent dynamo, is weaker if the NS is formed spinning slowly, which enables it to accrete SN debris. Accretion excludes neutron stars born with both B_s < 1E11 G and P > 0.1 s from radio pulsar surveys, where such weak fields are not encountered except among very old (> 40 Myr) or recycled pulsars. We predict that these birth properties are common, and may be attributes of the youngest detected neutron star, the CCO in Cassiopeia A, as well as an undetected infant neutron star in the SN 1987A remnant. In view of the far-infrared light echo discovered around Cas A and attributed to an SGR-like outburst, it is especially important to determine via timing whether Cas A hosts a magnetar or not. If not a magnetar, the Cas A NS may instead have undergone a one-time phase transition (corequake) that powered the light echo.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

CCO Pulsars as Anti-Magnetars: Evidence of Neutron Stars Weakly Magnetized at Birth does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with CCO Pulsars as Anti-Magnetars: Evidence of Neutron Stars Weakly Magnetized at Birth, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and CCO Pulsars as Anti-Magnetars: Evidence of Neutron Stars Weakly Magnetized at Birth will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-568954