The braking index of PSR B0540-69 and the associated pulsar wind nebula emission after spin-down rate transition

Abstract

In Dec. 2011 PSR B0540-69 experienced a spin-down rate transition (SRT), after which the spin-down power of the pulsar increased by ~36%. About 1000 days after the SRT, the X-ray luminosity of the associated pulsar wind nebula (PWN) was found to brighten by 32+/-8%. After the SRT, the braking index n of PSR B0540-69 changes from n=2.12 to n=0.03 and then keeps this value for about five years before rising to n=0.9 in the following years. We find that most of the current models have difficulties in explaining the measured braking index. One exceptive model of the braking index evolution is the increasing dipole magnetic field of PSR B0540-69. We suggest that the field increase may result from some instabilities within the pulsar core that enhance the poloidal component at the price of toroidal component of the magnetic field. The increasing dipole magnetic field will result in the X-ray brightening of the PWN. We fit the PWN X-ray light curve by two models: one assumes a constant magnetic field within the PWN during the brightening and the other assumes an enhanced magnetic field proportional to the energy density of the PWN. It appears that the two models fit the data well, though the later model seems to fit the data a bit better. This provides marginal observational evidence that magnetic field in the PWN is generated by the termination shock. Future high-quality and high-cadence data are required to draw a solid conclusion.

7 pages, 2 figures, the published version

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• Discovery of the first anti-glitch event in the rotation-powered pulsar PSR B0540-69
• The rocket effect mechanism in neutron stars in supernova remnants
• Spectral Break of Energetic Pulsar Wind Nebulae Detected with Wideband X-ray Observations
• A growing braking index and spin-down swings for the pulsar PSR B0540-69
• Glitches in four gamma-ray pulsars and inferences on the neutron star structure