On the variable timing behavior of PSR B0540-69: an almost excellent example to study pulsar braking mechanism

TL;DR

This paper investigates the variable timing behavior of PSR B0540-69, demonstrating how changes in particle wind density influence its braking index and spin-down rate, providing insights into pulsar braking mechanisms.

Contribution

It applies the pulsar wind model to explain PSR B0540-69's variable timing behavior and links particle density changes to observed spin-down variations.

Findings

Persistent state braking index is 2.129.

36% increase in spin-down rate linked to 88% increase in particle density.

Braking index in the new state is predicted to be 1.79.

Abstract

PSR B0540-69 has braking index measurement in its persistent state: n=2.129 \pm 0.012. Recently, it is reported to have spin-down state changes: a suddenly 36 % increase in the spin-down rate. Combining the persistent state braking index measurement and different spin-down states, PSR B0540-69 is more powerful than intermittent pulsars in constraining pulsar spin-down models. The pulsar wind model is applied to explain the variable timing behavior of PSR B0540-69. The persistent state braking index of PSR B0540-69 is the combined effect of magnetic dipole radiation and particle wind. The particle density reflects the magnetospheric activity in real-time and may be responsible for the changing spin-down behavior. Corresponding to the 36 % increase in the spin-down rate of PSR B0540-69, the relative increase in the particle density is 88 % in the vacuum gap model. And the model calculated braking index in the new state is n=1.79. Future braking index observation of PSR B0540-69 in the new spin-down state will be very powerful in distinguishing between different pulsar spin-down models and different particle acceleration models in the wind braking scenario. The variable timing behavior of PSR J1846-0258 is also understandable in the pulsar wind model.