2007/04/18 by E. V. Gotthelf, J. P. Halpern · 4 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics #Galaxy #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Luminosity #Magnetar #Neutron star #Physics #Pulsar #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #Supernova #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/520637
5 pages, 2 figure, Latex, emulateapj style. Submitted to ApJ Letters
arxiv created 2007/04/18 · openalex publication_date 2007/07/09 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We analyze all X-ray timing data on 1E 1207.4-5209 in supernova remnant PKS 1209-51/52 gathered from 1993-2005 and find a highly stable rotation with P = 424.130749(4) ms and = (6.6 ± 9.0) × 10 -17 (1 σ errors). This refutes previous claims of large timing irregularities in these data. In the dipole spin-down formalism, the 2 σ upper limit on implies a spin-down luminosity < 1.3 × 10 32 ergs s -1 , surface magnetic field strength B p < 3.3 × 10 11 G, and characteristic age τ c ≡ P /2 > 27 Myr. This τ c exceeds the remnant age by 3 orders of magnitude, requiring that the pulsar was born spinning at its present period. The X-ray luminosity of 1E 1207.4-5209, L bol ≈ 2 × 10 33 ( d /2 kpc) 2 ergs s -1 , exceeds its , implying that L bol derives from residual cooling and perhaps partly from accretion of supernova debris. The upper limit on B p is small enough to favor the electron-cyclotron model for at least one of the prominent absorption lines in its soft X-ray spectrum. This is the second demonstrable case of a pulsar born spinning slowly and with a weak B -field, after PSR J1852+0040 in Kesteven 79. We suggest that these properties define the class of central compact objects.