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Title: Modeling the non-recycled Fermi Gamma-ray pulsar population

Abstract

Here, we use Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope detections and upper limits on non-recycled pulsars obtained from the Large Area Telescope (LAT) to constrain how the gamma-ray luminosity L γ depends on the period P and the period derivative $$\dot{P}$$. We use a Bayesian analysis to calculate a best-fit luminosity law, or dependence of L γ on P and $$\dot{P}$$, including different methods for modeling the beaming factor. An outer gap (OG) magnetosphere geometry provides the best-fit model, which is $$L_\gamma \propto P^{-a} \dot{P}^{b}$$ where a = 1.36 ± 0.03 and b = 0.44 ± 0.02, similar to but not identical to the commonly assumed $$L_\gamma \propto \sqrt{\dot{E}} \propto P^{-1.5} \dot{P}^{0.5}$$. Given upper limits on gamma-ray fluxes of currently known radio pulsars and using the OG model, we find that about 92% of the radio-detected pulsars have gamma-ray beams that intersect our line of sight. By modeling the misalignment of radio and gamma-ray beams of these pulsars, we find an average gamma-ray beaming solid angle of about 3.7π for the OG model, assuming a uniform beam. Using LAT-measured diffuse fluxes, we place a 2σ upper limit on the average braking index and a 2σ lower limit on the average surface magneticmore » field strength of the pulsar population of 3.8 and 3.2 × 1010 G, respectively. We then predict the number of non-recycled pulsars detectable by the LAT based on our population model. Using the 2 yr sensitivity, we find that the LAT is capable of detecting emission from about 380 non-recycled pulsars, including 150 currently identified radio pulsars. Using the expected 5 yr sensitivity, about 620 non-recycled pulsars are detectable, including about 220 currently identified radio pulsars. As a result, we note that these predictions significantly depend on our model assumptions.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)
  2. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)
  3. Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States). SLAC National Accelerator Lab.
  4. Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
  5. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1356561
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-76SF00515
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
The Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 776; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Publisher:
Institute of Physics (IOP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; pulsars: general; stars: neutron

Citation Formats

Perera, B. B. P., McLaughlin, M. A., Cordes, J. M., Kerr, M., Burnett, T. H., and Harding, A. K. Modeling the non-recycled Fermi Gamma-ray pulsar population. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/776/1/61.
Perera, B. B. P., McLaughlin, M. A., Cordes, J. M., Kerr, M., Burnett, T. H., & Harding, A. K. Modeling the non-recycled Fermi Gamma-ray pulsar population. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/776/1/61
Perera, B. B. P., McLaughlin, M. A., Cordes, J. M., Kerr, M., Burnett, T. H., and Harding, A. K. 2013. "Modeling the non-recycled Fermi Gamma-ray pulsar population". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/776/1/61. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1356561.
@article{osti_1356561,
title = {Modeling the non-recycled Fermi Gamma-ray pulsar population},
author = {Perera, B. B. P. and McLaughlin, M. A. and Cordes, J. M. and Kerr, M. and Burnett, T. H. and Harding, A. K.},
abstractNote = {Here, we use Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope detections and upper limits on non-recycled pulsars obtained from the Large Area Telescope (LAT) to constrain how the gamma-ray luminosity L γ depends on the period P and the period derivative $\dot{P}$. We use a Bayesian analysis to calculate a best-fit luminosity law, or dependence of L γ on P and $\dot{P}$, including different methods for modeling the beaming factor. An outer gap (OG) magnetosphere geometry provides the best-fit model, which is $L_\gamma \propto P^{-a} \dot{P}^{b}$ where a = 1.36 ± 0.03 and b = 0.44 ± 0.02, similar to but not identical to the commonly assumed $L_\gamma \propto \sqrt{\dot{E}} \propto P^{-1.5} \dot{P}^{0.5}$. Given upper limits on gamma-ray fluxes of currently known radio pulsars and using the OG model, we find that about 92% of the radio-detected pulsars have gamma-ray beams that intersect our line of sight. By modeling the misalignment of radio and gamma-ray beams of these pulsars, we find an average gamma-ray beaming solid angle of about 3.7π for the OG model, assuming a uniform beam. Using LAT-measured diffuse fluxes, we place a 2σ upper limit on the average braking index and a 2σ lower limit on the average surface magnetic field strength of the pulsar population of 3.8 and 3.2 × 1010 G, respectively. We then predict the number of non-recycled pulsars detectable by the LAT based on our population model. Using the 2 yr sensitivity, we find that the LAT is capable of detecting emission from about 380 non-recycled pulsars, including 150 currently identified radio pulsars. Using the expected 5 yr sensitivity, about 620 non-recycled pulsars are detectable, including about 220 currently identified radio pulsars. As a result, we note that these predictions significantly depend on our model assumptions.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/776/1/61},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1356561}, journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 1,
volume = 776,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Sep 25 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Wed Sep 25 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}

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Works referenced in this record:

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Pulsar braking and the P–$\dot{P}$ diagram
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The Einstein@Home Gamma-Ray Pulsar Survey. i. Search Methods, Sensitivity, and Discovery of new Young Gamma-Ray Pulsars
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