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New Phase-coherent Measurements of Pulsar Braking Indices

Margaret A. Livingstone·Victoria M. Kaspi·Fotis P. Gavriil·Richard N. Manchester·E. V. Gotthelf·Lucien Kuiper
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Abstract

Pulsar braking indices offer insight into the physics that underlies pulsar spin-down. Only five braking indices have been measured via phase-coherent timing; all measured values are less than 3, the value expected from magnetic dipole radiation. Here we present new measurements for three of the five pulsar braking indices, obtained with phase-coherent timing for PSRs J1846-0258 (n=2.65+/-0.01), B1509-58 (n=2.839+/-0.001) and B0540-69 (n=2.140+/-0.009). We discuss the implications of these results and possible physical explanations for them.

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Margaret A. Livingstone, Victoria M. Kaspi, Fotis P. Gavriil, Richard N. Manchester, E. V. Gotthelf, Lucien Kuiper. 2007-02-07. New Phase-coherent Measurements of Pulsar Braking Indices. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10509-007-9320-3

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