1,143 research outputs found
An improved solar wind electron-density model for pulsar timing
Variations in the solar wind density introduce variable delays into pulsar
timing observations. Current pulsar timing analysis programs only implement
simple models of the solar wind, which not only limit the timing accuracy, but
can also affect measurements of pulsar rotational, astrometric and orbital
parameters. We describe a new model of the solar wind electron density content
which uses observations from the Wilcox Solar Observatory of the solar magnetic
field. We have implemented this model into the tempo2 pulsar timing package. We
show that this model is more accurate than previous models and that these
corrections are necessary for high precision pulsar timing applications.Comment: Accepted by ApJ, 13 pages, 4 figure
A Study of Giant Pulses from PSR J1824-2452A
We have searched for microsecond bursts of emission from millisecond pulsars
in the globular cluster M28 using the Parkes radio telescope. We detected a
total of 27 giant pulses from the known emitter PSR J1824-2452A. At wavelengths
around 20 cm the giant pulses are scatter-broadened to widths of around 2
microseconds and follow power-law statistics. The pulses occur in two narrow
phase-windows which correlate in phase with X-ray emission and trail the peaks
of the integrated radio pulse-components. Notably, the integrated radio
emission at these phase windows has a steeper spectral index than other
emission. The giant pulses exhibit a high degree of polarization, with many
being 100% elliptically polarized. Their position angles appear random.
Although the integrated emission of PSR J1824-2452A is relatively stable for
the frequencies and bandwidths observed, the intensities of individual giant
pulses vary considerably across our bands. Two pulses were detected at both
2700 and 3500 MHz. The narrower of the two pulses is 20 ns wide at 3500 MHz. At
2700 MHz this pulse has an inferred brightness temperature at maximum of 5 x
10^37 K. Our observations suggest the giant pulses of PSR J1824-2452A are
generated in the same part of the magnetosphere as X-ray emission through a
different emission process to that of ordinary pulses.Comment: Accepted by Ap
Changes in Polarization Position Angle across the Eclipse in the Double Pulsar System
We investigate the changes in polarization position angle in radiation from
pulsar A around the eclipse in the Double Pulsar system PSR J0737-3039A/B at
the 20 cm and 50 cm wavelengths using the Parkes 64-m telescope. The changes
are ~2\sigma\ during and shortly after the eclipse at 20 cm but less
significant at 50 cm. We show that the changes in position angle during the
eclipse can be modelled by differential synchrotron absorption in the eclipse
regions. Position angle changes after the eclipse are interpreted as Faraday
rotation in the magnetotail of pulsar B. Implied charge densities are
consistent with the Goldreich-Julian density, suggesting that the particle
energies in the magnetotail are mildly relativistic.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letter
The Evolution of PSR J0737-3039B and a Model for Relativistic Spin Precession
We present the evolution of the radio emission from the 2.8-s pulsar of the
double pulsar system PSR J0737-3039A/B. We provide an update on the Burgay et
al. (2005) analysis by describing the changes in the pulse profile and flux
density over five years of observations, culminating in the B pulsar's radio
disappearance in 2008 March. Over this time, the flux density decreases by
0.177 mJy/yr at the brightest orbital phases and the pulse profile evolves from
a single to a double peak, with a separation rate of 2.6 deg/yr. The pulse
profile changes are most likely caused by relativistic spin precession, but can
not be easily explained with a circular hollow-cone beam as in the model of
Clifton & Weisberg (2008). Relativistic spin precession, coupled with an
elliptical beam, can model the pulse profile evolution well. This particular
beam shape predicts geometrical parameters for the two bright orbital phases
which are consistent and similar to those derived by Breton et al. (2008).
However, the observed decrease in flux over time and B's eventual disappearance
cannot be easily explained by the model and may be due to the changing
influence of A on B.Comment: 20 pages, 18 figures, Accepted by ApJ on 2 August 201
PSR J1016-5857: a young radio pulsar with possible supernova remnant, X-ray, and gamma-ray associations
We report the discovery of a young and energetic pulsar in the Parkes
multibeam survey of the Galactic plane. PSR J1016-5857 has a rotation period of
107 ms and period derivative of 8e-14, implying a characteristic age of 21 kyr
and spin-down luminosity of 2.6e36 erg/s. The pulsar is located just outside,
and possibly interacting with, the shell supernova remnant G284.3-1.8. Archival
X-ray data show a source near the pulsar position which is consistent with
emission from a pulsar wind nebula. The pulsar is also located inside the error
box of the unidentified EGRET source 3EG J1013-5915, for which it represents a
plausible counterpart.Comment: 5 pages, 3 included figures, accepted for publication by ApJ Letter
Timing the Parkes Multibeam Pulsars
Measurement of accurate positions, pulse periods and period derivatives is an
essential follow-up to any pulsar survey. The procedures being used to obtain
timing parameters for the pulsars discovered in the Parkes multibeam pulsar
survey are described. Completed solutions have been obtained so far for about
80 pulsars. They show that the survey is preferentially finding pulsars with
higher than average surface dipole magnetic fields. Eight pulsars have been
shown to be members of binary systems and some of the more interesting results
relating to these are presented.Comment: 6 pages, 2 embedded EPS figures, to be published in proceedings of
"Pulsar Astronomy - 2000 and Beyond", ASP Conf. Se
Timing of Millisecond Pulsars in NGC 6752: Evidence for a High Mass-to-Light Ratio in the Cluster Core
Using pulse timing observations we have obtained precise parameters,
including positions with about 20 mas accuracy, of five millisecond pulsars in
NGC 6752. Three of them, located relatively close to the cluster center, have
line-of-sight accelerations larger than the maximum value predicted by the
central mass density derived from optical observation, providing dynamical
evidence for a central mass-to-light ratio >~ 10, much higher than for any
other globular cluster. It is likely that the other two millisecond pulsars
have been ejected out of the core to their present locations at 1.4 and 3.3
half-mass radii, respectively, suggesting unusual non-thermal dynamics in the
cluster core.Comment: Accepted by ApJ Letter. 5 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl
Discovery of Five Binary Radio Pulsars
We report on five binary pulsars discovered in the Parkes multibeam Galactic
plane survey. All of the pulsars are old, with characteristic ages 1-11 Gyr,
and have relatively small inferred magnetic fields, 5-90e8 G. The orbital
periods range from 1.3 to 15 days. As a group these objects differ from the
usual low-mass binary pulsars (LMBPs): their spin periods of 9-88 ms are
relatively long; their companion masses, 0.2-1.1 Msun, are, in at least some
cases, suggestive of CO or more massive white dwarfs; and some of the orbital
eccentricities, 1e-5 < e < 0.002, are unexpectedly large. We argue that these
observed characteristics reflect binary evolution that is significantly
different from that of LMBPs. We also note that intermediate-mass binary
pulsars apparently have a smaller scale-height than LMBPs.Comment: 5 pages, 4 embedded EPS figs, accepted for publication by ApJ Letter
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