Pulsar Period and Magnetic Field Evolution

Abstract

Abstract. One of the important unsolved problems in pulsar astrophysics concerns the formation and evolution of their magnetic fields. We summarize measurements of braking indices and their implications for the spin and magnetic field evolution of young pulsars. An analysis of the period-period derivative diagram suggests one or more of the following: (a) a substantial population of young pulsars remains undiscovered; (b) a large fraction of all slow pulsars may be recycled; (c) magnetic fields in isolated pulsars decay by a factor of a few in the first few million years. We also note that the observed P-P distribution of millisecond pulsars may be shaped by luminosity evolution.

Energetic Young Radio Pulsars

“…The true ages of pulsars would be greater and hence the implied velocities would be smaller (Lyne et al 1996b). If the evolutionary tracks based on the above values for n are compared with the present position of these pulsars and the position of the main population in Figure 1, it becomes clear that these 4 pulsars are not evolving towards the main population (Camilo 1996). There are several question that arise from this.…”