Pulsar magnetogyro ratios and pulsar evolution. IV. Peaks in the pulse period number density distribution, and short-period evolution

Journal Article · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/165239· OSTI ID:6239465

Woodward, J F

The model of pulsar evolution that assumes fossil magnetic fields for pulsars that decay with a time constant of about nine million yr is examined to see if it is compatible with the bimodal pulse period number density distribution found in the distance-restricted pulsar sample. It is shown that the ad hoc assumption of two classes of pulsars must be adopted if the fossil field model is to be preserved, whereas the second peak in the distribution is predicted by the gamma-constant/enhancement model of pulsar evolution. A Monte Carlo simulation based on the standard model is carried out to test the viability of the standard model for short-period pulsars. The evolution of short-period pulsars elicited by the imposition of radio luminosity selection criteria is shown to conform to the gamma-constant/enhancement model. 8 references.

• Research Organization: California State Univ., Fullerton
• OSTI ID: 6239465
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 316
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
PULSARS
STAR EVOLUTION
DENSITY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
PALEOMAGNETISM
STAR MODELS
VELOCITY
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
MAGNETISM
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources