Unusual glitch activity in the RRAT J1819-1458: an exhausted magnetar?

TL;DR

This study analyzes five years of timing data from RRAT J1819-1458, revealing unusual glitch activity that suggests it may be an exhausted magnetar with decreasing magnetic activity over time.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of glitch behavior in RRAT J1819-1458, highlighting its unique post-glitch evolution and potential link to magnetar-like properties.

Findings

Two significant glitches observed with fractional frequency changes.

Post-glitch behavior shows a long-term decrease in spin-down rate.

Increased pulse detection rate and energy after glitches.

Abstract

We present an analysis of regular timing observations of the high-magnetic-field Rotating Radio Transient (RRAT) J1819$-$1458 obtained using the 64-m Parkes and 76-m Lovell radio telescopes over the past five years. During this time, the RRAT has suffered two significant glitches with fractional frequency changes of $0.6\times10^{-6}$ and $0.1\times10^{-6}$. Glitches of this magnitude are a phenomenon displayed by both radio pulsars and magnetars. However, the behaviour of J1819$-$1458 following these glitches is quite different to that which follows glitches in other neutron stars, since the glitch activity resulted in a significant long-term net decrease in the slow-down rate. If such glitches occur every 30 years, the spin-down rate, and by inference the magnetic dipole moment, will drop to zero on a timescale of a few thousand years. There are also significant increases in the rate of pulse detection and in the radio pulse energy immediately following the glitches.