On the Possibility of the Detection of Extinct Radio Pulsars

TL;DR

This paper investigates the potential for detecting extinct radio pulsars by analyzing two models of particle escape, suggesting that some may be detectable with current gamma-ray observatories, and could explain unidentified gamma-ray sources.

Contribution

It compares two models of pulsar particle escape and assesses their implications for detecting extinct pulsars with current gamma-ray instruments.

Findings

Detectable signals possible under free particle escape model

Extinct pulsars may account for some unidentified gamma-ray sources

Detection depends on particle escape mechanisms and instrument sensitivity

Abstract

We explore the possibilities for detecting pulsars that have ceased to radiate in the radio band. We consider two models: the model with hindered particle escape from the pulsar surface (first suggested by Ruderman and Sutherland 1975) and the model with free particle escape (Arons 1981; Mestel 1999). In the model with hindered particle escape, the number of particles that leave the pulsar magnetosphere is small and their radiation cannot be detected with currently available instruments. At the same time, for the free particle escape model, both the number of particles and the radiation intensity are high enough for such pulsars to be detectable with the presently available receivers such as GLAST and AGILE spacecrafts. It is also possible that extinct radio pulsars can be among the unidentified EGRET sources.