Pulsar Rockets and Gaia Neutron Star Binaries
Vishal Baibhav, Andrei Gruzinov, Yuri Levin

TL;DR
This paper demonstrates that electromagnetic rocket forces on pulsars are negligible in force-free conditions, but could influence neutron star binary eccentricities under specific scenarios involving weak pulsars and particular natal kick orientations.
Contribution
The study clarifies the conditions under which electromagnetic rocket effects impact neutron star binary eccentricities, contrasting previous claims and providing new theoretical insights.
Findings
Electromagnetic rocket force vanishes in force-free electrodynamics.
Eccentricities can be explained without rockets if certain initial conditions are met.
Rocket effects are significant only in weak pulsars with suppressed pair production.
Abstract
We prove that the spin-aligned electromagnetic recoil force acting on a pulsar vanishes identically in Force-Free Electrodynamics. This contrasts with Hirai et al.'s recent argument that the rocket effect was important for explaining the eccentricity distribution of wide neutron star binaries found by Gaia. Our detailed analysis confirms that for a broad range of initial conditions and natal kick distributions, the rocket velocities of are required to account for the observed eccentricities. However, we find that in scenarios where the common envelope phase does not significantly shrink the initial orbit, and the natal kicks are drawn from Paczynski-type distribution, these eccentricities may arise without the influence of an EM rocket. If the natal kicks are perpendicular to the initial orbits, then explaining the Gaia neutron star eccentricities…
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Taxonomy
TopicsPulsars and Gravitational Waves Research · Astronomy and Astrophysical Research · Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics
