RRAT J1541+4703: A Rotating Radio Transient Exhibiting Normal Pulsar States

TL;DR

This study analyzes RRAT J1541+4703, revealing it spends most of its time in RRAT state with occasional normal pulsar states, showing distinct emission and polarization properties, and mode switching indicating magnetospheric instability.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of RRAT J1541+4703, demonstrating its dual states and mode switching behavior, advancing understanding of RRATs' evolutionary link to pulsars.

Findings

RRAT J1541+4703 spends 98% of time in RRAT state.

Distinct pulse profiles and polarization in different states.

NP states show mode switching with abnormal modes at state transitions.

Abstract

Rotating Radio Transients (RRATs) are a class of pulsar-like objects characterized by intermittent radio emissions. Among them, RRATs that exhibit both RRAT and normal pulsar (NP) states may represent a key evolutionary stage from nulling pulsars to RRATs. We performed a detailed analysis of RRAT J1574+4703 using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) at a frequency of 1250 MHz. Our findings indicate that this RRAT spends approximately 98% of its time in the RRAT state, with the remainder spent in an NP state exhibiting nulling behavior. Additionally, we observed distinct integral pulse profiles and polarization properties between the two states, suggesting that they originate from different emission heights and magnetospheric structures. Furthermore, it was observed that the NP states of this RRAT exhibit mode switching, with ~44% of the time spent in the normal mode and ~39% in the abnormal mode. Notably, abnormal modes are predominantly detected at the onset and termination of the NP states. This discrepancy between the modes indicates potential instability in the magnetospheric processes that govern the NP states.