A Braking Index for the Young Pulsar at the Center of the Supernova Remnant Kes 75

Preprint
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
  • 24 January 2006
Abstract
We present the first phase-coherent measurement of a braking index for the young, energetic and high magnetic field pulsar, PSR J1846-0258, located at the center of the supernova remnant Kes 75. We present two consistent timing solutions from a phase-coherent timing analysis over 2 yr and a partially phase-coherent timing analysis of 6 yr of widely spaced data obtained with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. Our measured value of the braking index, n=2.18+/-0.07, is significantly less than 3, the value expected from magnetic dipole radiation, implying another physical process must contribute to the pulsar's rotational evolution. Based on the new braking index measurement we place an upper limit on the spin-down age of PSR J1846-0258 of <1200 yr. If PSR J1846-0258 was born with a spin frequency comparable to its present value, its true age could be significantly smaller than this estimate.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: