Large Pulsar Kicks from Topological Currents

TL;DR

This paper proposes that topological currents can generate large pulsar velocities, dominate cooling processes after initial stages, and potentially distinguish quark stars from neutron stars based on kick magnitude.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanism involving topological currents as the source of pulsar kicks, differing from traditional neutrino-based explanations.

Findings

Topological currents can produce pulsar kicks two orders of magnitude larger than neutrino kicks.

The current influences cooling processes after the star cools below 10^9 K.

Large kicks may indicate quark stars, small kicks neutron stars.

Abstract

We show that kicks generated by topological currents may be responsible for the large velocities seen in a number of pulsars. The majority of the kick builds up within the first second of the star's birth and generates a force about two orders of magnitude larger than a neutrino kick in the same temperature and magnetic field regime. Because of the nature of the topological currents the star's cooling is not affected until it reaches 10^9 K; thereafter the current replaces neutrino emission as the dominant cooling process. A requirement for the kick to occur is a suitably thin crust on the star; this leads us to speculate that pulsars with large kicks are quark stars and those with small kicks are neutron stars. If true this would be an elegant way to distinguish quark stars from neutron stars.