arXiv subjects

George I. Melikidze

Publications and source records attributed to George I. Melikidze.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Classification of Subpulse Drifting in Pulsars

In this study we propose a classification scheme for the phenomenon of subpulse drifting in pulsars. We have assembled an exhaustive list of pulsars which exhibit subpulse drifting from previously published results as well as recent observations using the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope. We have estimated detailed phase variations corresponding to the drifting features. Based on phase behaviour the drifting population was classified into four groups : coherent phase-modulated drifting, switching phase-modulated drifting, diffuse phase-modulated drifting and low-mixed phase-modulated drifting. We have re-established the previous assertion that the subpulse drifting is primarily associated with the conal components in pulsar profile. The core components generally do not show the drifting phenomenon. However, in core emission of certain pulsars longer periodic fluctuations are seen, which are similar to periodic nulling, and likely arise due to a different physical phenomenon. In general the nature of the phase variations of the drifting features across the pulsar profile appears to be associated with specific pulsar profile classes, but we also find several examples that show departures from this trend. It has also been claimed in previous works that the spin-down energy loss is anti-correlated with the drifting periodicity. We have verified this dependence using a larger sample of drifting measurements.

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arXiv2018

Meterwavelength Single-pulse Polarimetric Emission Survey IV: The Period Dependence of Component Widths of Pulsars

The core component width in normal pulsars, with periods ($P$) $>$ 0.1 seconds, measured at the half-power point at 1 GHz has a lower boundary line (LBL) which closely follows the $P^{-0.5}$ scaling relation. This result is of fundamental importance for understanding the emission process and requires extended studies over a wider frequency range. In this paper we have carried out a detailed study of the profile component widths of 123 normal pulsars observed in the Meterwavelength Single-pulse Polarimetric Emission Survey at 333 and 618 MHz. The components in the pulse profile were separated into core and conal classes. We found that at both frequencies the core as well as the conal component widths versus period had a LBL which followed the $P^{-0.5}$ relation with a similar lower boundary. The radio emission in normal pulsars have been observationally shown to arise from a narrow range of heights around a few hundred kilometers above the stellar surface. In the past the $P^{-0.5}$ relation has been considered as evidence for emission arising from last open dipolar magnetic field lines. We show that the $P^{-0.5}$ dependence only holds if the trailing and leading half-power points of the component are associated with the last open field line. In such a scenario we do not find any physical motivation which can explain the $P^{-0.5}$ dependence for both core and conal components as evidence for dipolar geometry in normal pulsars. We believe the period dependence is a result of an yet unexplained physical phenomenon.

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arXiv2017

Meterwavelength Single-pulse Polarimetric Emission Survey III: The Phenomenon of Nulling in Pulsars

A detailed analysis of nulling was conducted for the pulsars studied in the Meterwavelength Single-pulse Polarimetric Emission Survey. We characterized nulling in 36 pulsars including 17 pulsars where the phenomena were reported for the first time. The most dominant nulls lasted for short durations, less than five periods. The longer duration nulls extending to hundreds of periods were also seen in some cases. A careful analysis showed the presence of periodicities in the transition from the null to the burst states in 11 pulsars. In our earlier work fluctuation spectrum analysis showed multiple periodicities in 6 of these 11 pulsars. We demonstrate that the longer periodicity in each case was associated with nulling. The shorter periodicities usually originate due to subpulse drifting. The nulling periodicities were more aligned with the periodic amplitude modulation indicating a possible common origin for both. Most prevalent nulling lasts for a single period and can be potentially explained using random variations affecting the plasma processes in the pulsar magnetosphere. On the other hand, the longer duration nulls require changes in the pair production processes that need an external triggering mechanism for the change. The presence of periodic nulling puts an added constrain on the triggering mechanism which also needs to be periodic.

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arXiv2017

XMM-Newton observation of the nearby pulsar B1133+16

We constrain the X-ray properties of the nearby $(360\,{\rm pc})$, old ($5\,{\rm Myr}$) pulsar B1133+16 with $\sim 100\,{\rm ks}$ effective exposure time by {\it XMM-Newton}. The observed pulsar flux in the 0.2-3 keV energy range is $\sim 10^{-14} \, {\rm erg \, cm}^{-2} \, {\rm s}^{-1}$, which results in the recording of $\sim 600$ source counts with the EPIC pn and MOS detectors. The X-ray radiation is dominated by nonthermal radiation and is well described by both a single power-law model (PL) and a sum of blackbody and power-law emission (BB+PL). The BB+PL model results in a spectral photon index $Γ=2.4^{+0.4}_{-0.3}$ and a nonthermal flux in the 0.2-3 keV energy range of $(7\pm 2) \times 10^{-15}\, {\rm erg \, cm}^{-2} \, {\rm s}^{-1}$. The thermal emission is consistent with the blackbody emission from a small hot spot with a radius of $R_{\rm pc} \approx 14^{+7}_{-5} \, {\rm m}$ and a temperature of $T_{\rm s} = 2.9^{+0.6}_{-0.4} \, {\rm MK}$. Assuming that the hot spot corresponds to the polar cap of the pulsar, we can use the magnetic flux conservation law to estimate the magnetic field at the surface $B_{\rm s} \approx 3.9 \times 10^{14} \, {\rm G}$. The observations are in good agreement with the predictions of the partially screened gap model, which assumes the existence of small-scale surface magnetic field structures in the polar cap region.

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arXiv2016

Meterwavelength Single-pulse Polarimetric Emission Survey

We have conducted the Meterwavelength Single-pulse Polarimetric Emission Survey to study the radio emission properties of normal pulsars. A total of 123 pulsars with periods between 0.1 seconds and 8.5 seconds were observed in the survey at two different frequencies, 105 profiles at 333 MHz, 118 profiles at 618 MHz and 100 pulsars at both. In this work we concentrate primarily on the time-averaged properties of the pulsar emission. The measured widths of the pulsar profiles in our sample usually exhibit the radius to frequency mapping. We validate the existence of lower bounds for the distribution of profile widths with pulsar period ($P$), which is seen for multiple definitions of the width, viz. a lower boundary line (LBL) at $2.7^{\circ} P^{-0.5}$ with width measured at 50% level of profile peak, a LBL at $5.7^{\circ} P^{-0.5}$ for 10% level of peak and LBL at $6.3^{\circ} P^{-0.5}$ for width defined as 5$σ$ above the baseline level. In addition we have measured the degree of linear polarization in the average profile of pulsars and confirmed their dependence on pulsar spindown energy loss ($\dot{E}$). The single pulse polarization data show interesting trends with the polarization position angle (PPA) distribution exhibiting the simple rotating vector model for high $\dot{E}$ pulsars while the PPA becomes more complex for medium and low $\dot{E}$ pulsars. The single pulse total intensity data is useful for studying a number of emission properties from pulsars like subpulse drifting, nulling and mode changing which is being explored in separate works.

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arXiv2016

Meterwavelength Single-pulse Polarimetric Emission Survey II: The phenomenon of Drifting Subpulses

A large sample of pulsars was observed as part of the Meterwavelength Single-pulse Polarimetric Emission Survey. We carried out a detailed fluctuation spectral analysis which revealed periodic features in 46% pulsars including 22 pulsars where drifting characteristics were reported for the first time. The pulsar population can be categorized into three distinct groups, pulsars which show systematic drift motion within the pulse window, the pulsars showing no systematic drift but periodic amplitude fluctuation and pulsars with no periodic variations. We discovered the dependence of the drifting phenomenon on the spin down energy loss ($\dot{E}$), with the three categories occupying distinctly different regions along the $\dot{E}$ axis. The estimation of the drift periodicity ($P_3$) from the peak frequency in the fluctuation spectra is ambiguous due to the aliasing effect. However, using basic physical arguments we were able to determine $P_3$ in pulsars showing systematic drift motion. The estimated $P_3$ values in these pulsars were anti-correlated with $\dot{E}$ which favoured the Partially Screened Gap model of Inner Acceleration Region in pulsars.

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arXiv2015

Thermal absorption as the cause of gigahertz-peaked spectra in pulsars and magnetars

We present a model that explains the observed deviation of the spectra of some pulsars and magnetars from the power-law spectra which are seen in the bulk of the pulsar population. Our model is based on the assumption that the observed variety of pulsar spectra can be naturally explained by the thermal free-free absorption that takes place in the surroundings of the pulsars. In this context, the variety of the pulsar spectra can be explained according to the shape, density and temperature of the absorbing media and the optical path of the line-of-sight across that. We have put specific emphasis on the case of the radio magnetar SGR J1745-2900 (also known as Sgr A* magnetar), modeling the rapid variations of the pulsar spectrum after the outburst of Apr 2013 as due to the free-free absorption of the radio emission in the electron material ejected during the magnetar outburst. The ejecta expands with time and consequently the absorption rate decreases and the shape of the spectrum changes in such a way that the peak frequency shifts towards the lower radio frequencies. In the hypothesis of an absorbing medium, we also discuss the similarity between the spectral behaviour of the binary pulsar B1259-63 and the spectral peculiarities of isolated pulsars.

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arXiv2015

On the Origin of Radio Emission from Magnetars

Magnetars are the most magnetized objects in the known universe. Powered by the magnetic energy, and not by the rotational energy as in the case of radio pulsars, they have long been regarded as a completely different class of neutron stars. The discovery of pulsed radio emission from a few magnetars weakened the idea of a clean separation between magnetars and normal pulsars. We use the partially screened gap (PSG) model to explain radio emission of magnetars. The PSG model requires that the temperature of the polar cap is equal to the so-called critical value, i.e., the temperature at which the thermal ions outflowing from the stellar surface screen the acceleration gap. We show that a magnetar has to fulfill the temperature, power, and visibility conditions in order to emit radio waves. First, in order to form PSG, the residual temperature of the surface has to be lower than the critical value. Second, since the radio emission is powered by the rotational energy, it has to be high enough to enable heating of the polar cap by backstreaming particles to the critical temperature. Finally, the structure of the magnetic field has to be altered by magnetospheric currents in order to widen a radio beam and increase the probability of detection. Our approach allows us to predict whether a magnetar can emit radio waves using only its rotational period, period derivative, and surface temperature in the quiescent mode.

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arXiv2014

On the adiabatic walking of plasma waves in a pulsar magnetosphere

The pulsar radio emission is generated in the near magnetosphere of the neutron star and it has to propagate through the rest of it to emerge into the interstellar medium. An important issue is whether this propagation affects the planes of polarization of the generated radiation. Observationally, there is a sufficient evidence that the emerging radiation is polarized parallel or perpendicular to the magnetic field line planes that should be associated with the ordinary O and extraordinary X plasma modes respectively, excited by some radiative process. This strongly suggests that the excited X- and O-modes are not affected by the so-called Adiabatic Walking that causes a slow rotation of polarization vectors. In this paper we demonstrate that the conditions for the Adiabatic Walking are not fulfilled within the soliton model of pulsar radio emission, in which the coherent curvature radiation occurs at frequencies much lower than the characteristic plasma frequency. The X-mode propagates freely and observationally represents the primary polarization mode. The O-mode has difficulties in escaping from the pulsar plasma, nonetheless it is sporadically observed as a weaker secondary polarization mode. We discuss a possible scenario under which the O-mode can also escape from the plasma and reach an observer.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2013

An emission mechanism explaining off-pulse emission originating in the outer magnetosphere of pulsars

We have examined the cyclotron resonance instability developing in the relativistic out-flowing plasma in the pulsar magnetosphere. The instability condition leads to radio emission in the sub-GHz frequency regime which is likely to be seen as off-pulse emission. Recent studies have shown the presence of off-pulse emission in long period pulsars, and we demonstrate this plasma process to be an energetically viable mechanism.

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arXiv2011

Partially Screened Gap -- general approach and observational consequences

Observations of the thermal X-ray emission from radio pulsars implicate that the size of hot spots is much smaller then the size of the polar cap that follows from the purely dipolar geometry of pulsar magnetic field. Most plausible explanation of this phenomena is an assumption that the magnetic field at the stellar surface differs essentially from the purely dipolar field. We can determine magnetic field at the surface by the conservation of the magnetic flux through the area bounded by open magnetic field lines. Then the value of the surface magnetic field can be estimated as of the order of $10^{14}$ G. On the other hand observations show that the temperature of the hot spot is about a few million Kelvins. Based on these observations the Partially Screened Gap (PSG) model was proposed which assumes that the temperature of the actual polar cap (hot spot) equals to the so called critical temperature. We discuss correlation between the temperature and corresponding area of the thermal X-ray emission for a number of pulsars. The results of our analysis show that the PSG model is suitable to explain both cases: when the hot spot is smaller and larger then conventional polar cap. We argue that in the second case structure and curvature of field lines allow pair creation in the closed field lines region thus the secondary particles can heat the stellar surface outside the actual polar cap. We have found that the Curvature Radiation (CR) plays dominant role in avalanche pair production in the PSG. We studied dependence of the PSG parameters on the pulsar period, the magnetic field strength and the curvature of field lines.

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arXiv2010

Do double features in averaged pulsar profiles decipher the nature of their radio emission?

An interesting paper has recently been published claiming that the long-sought Rosetta Stone needed to decipher the nature of pulsar radio emission has been finally identified as the double features in averaged pulsar profiles. The authors argue that highly symmetric bifurcated features are produced by a split-fan beams of extraordinary-mode curvature radiation emitted by thin microscopic streams of magnetospheric plasma conducted by a very narrow bundle of magnetic field lines. We examined arguments leading to these intriguing conclusions and found a number of flaws. At least one of them is fatal, namely there is not enough available energy within such thin microscopic plasma streams. Using an elementary pulsar physics we show that if the stream is so thin that its emission can reveal the signatures of elementary radiation mechanism, then the energy deficit tends to be severe and reaches a few to several orders of magnitude (depending on the actual efficiency of converting the available kinetic energy of relativistic charged particles into the coherent radio emission). We are certain that the answer to the question contained in the title of this paper is definitely negative.

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arXiv2009

Unraveling the nature of coherent pulsar radio emission

Forty years have passed since the discovery of pulsars, yet the physical mechanism of their coherent radio emission is a mystery. Recent observational and theoretical studies strongly suggest that the radiation outcoming from the pulsar magnetosphere consists mainly of extraordinary waves polarized perpendicular to the planes of pulsar dipolar magnetic field. However, the fundamental question whether these waves are excited by maser or coherent curvature radiation, remains open. High quality single pulse polarimetry is required to distinguish between these two possible mechanisms. Here we showcase such {\it decisive} strong single pulses from 10 pulsars observed with the GMRT, showing extremely high linear polarization with the position angle following locally the mean position angle traverse. These pulses, which are relatively free from depolarization, must consist of exclusively single polarization mode. We associate this mode with the extraordinary wave excited by the coherent curvature radiation. This crucial observational signature enables us to argue, for the first time, in favor of the coherent curvature emission mechanism, excluding the maser mechanism.

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arXiv2003

Curvature radiation and giant subpulses in the Crab pulsar

It is argued that the nanosecond giant subpulses detected recently in the Crab pulsar are generated by means of the coherent curvature radiation of charged relativistic solitons associated with sparking discharges of the inner gap potential drop above the polar cap.

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arXiv2003

Curvature radiation in pulsar magnetospheric plasma

We consider the curvature radiation of the point-like charge moving relativistically along curved magnetic field lines through a pulsar magnetospheric electron-positron plasma. We demonstrate that the radiation power is largely suppressed as compared with the vacuum case, but still at a considerable level, high enough to explain the observed pulsar luminosities. The emitted radiation is polarized perpendicularly to the plane of the curved magnetic filed lines coincides with $ which can freely escape from the magnetospheric plasma. Our results strongly support the coherent curvature radiation by the spark-associated solitons as a plausible mechanism of pulsar radio emission.

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arXiv2003

Drifting subpulses and inner acceleration regions in radio pulsars

The classical vacuum gap model of Ruderman & Sutherland, in which spark-associated subbeams of subpulse emission circulate around the magnetic axis due to the EB drift, provides a natural and plausible physical mechanism of the subpulse drift phenomenon. Recent progress in the analysis of drifting subpulses in pulsars has provided a strong support to this model by revealing a number of subbeams circulating around the magnetic axis in a manner compatible with theoretical predictions. However, a more detailed analysis revealed that the circulation speed in a pure vacuum gap is too high when compared with observations. Moreover, some pulsars demonstrate significant time variations of the drift rate, including a change of the apparent drift direction, which is obviously inconsistent with the EB drift scenario in a pure vacuum gap. We resolved these discrepancies by considering a partial flow of iron ions from the positively charged polar cap, coexisting with the production of outflowing electron-positron plasmas. By fitting the observationally deduced drift-rates to the theoretical values, we managed to estimate polar cap surface temperatures in a number of pulsars. The estimated surface temperatures correspond to a small charge depletion of the order of a few percent of the corotational charge density. We also argue that if the thermionic electron outflow from the surface of a negatively charged polar cap is slightly below the Goldreich-Julian density, then the resulting small charge depletion will have similar consequences as in the case of the ions outflow. We thus believe that the sparking discharge of a partially shielded acceleration potential drop occurs in all pulsars, with both positively (``pulsars'') and negatively (``anti-pulsars'') charged polar caps.

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arXiv2002

Inner vacuum gap formation and drifting subpulses in pulsars

The problem of formation of the inner vacuum gap in neutron stars with ${\bfΩ}\cdot{\bf B}<0$ is considered. It is argued by means of the condition $T_i/T_s>1$, where $T_i$ is the melting temperature of surface $^{56}_{26}$Fe ions and $T_s$ is the actual temperature of the polar cap surface, that the inner vacuum gap can form, provided that the actual surface magnetic field is extremaly strong ($B_s\gtrsim 10^{13}$ G) and curved (${\cal R}<10^6$ cm), irrespective of the value of dipolar component measured from the pulsar spin down rate. The calculations are carried out for pulsars with drifting subpulses and/or periodic intensity modulations, in which the existence of the quasi steady vacuum gap discharging via ${\bf E}\times{\bf B}$ drifting sparks is almost unavoidable.

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arXiv2002

On the formation of inner vacuum gaps in radio pulsars

The problem of formation of the Ruderman-Sutherland type inner vacuum gap in neutron stars with ${\bfΩ}\cdot{\bf B}<0$ is considered. It is argued by means of the condition $T_i/T_s>1$ (where $T_i$ is the critical temperature above which $^{56}_{26}$Fe ions will not be bound at the surface and $T_s$ is the actual temperature of the polar cap surface heated by the back-flow of relativistic electrons) that the inner vacuum gap can form, provided that the actual surface magnetic field is extremaly strong ($B_s\gtrsim 10^{13}$ G) and curved (${\cal R}<10^6$ cm), irrespective of the value of dipolar component measured from the pulsar spin down rate. Calculations are carried out for pulsars with drifting subpulses and/or periodic intensity modulations, in which the existence of the quasi steady vacuum gap discharging via ${\bf E}\times{\bf B}$ drifting sparks is almost unavoidable. Using different pair-production mechanisms and different estimates of the cohesive energies of surface iron ions, we show that it is easier to form the vacuum gap controlled by the resonant inverse Compton scaterring seed photons than by the curvature radiation seed photons.

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