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Anna Bilous
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We use broadband sensitive LOFAR observations in the 25-80 MHz frequency range to study the single-pulse emission properties of the mode-switching pulsar B0943+10. We review the derivation of magnetospheric geometry, originally based on low-frequency radio data, and show that the geometry is less constrained than previously thought. This may be used to help explain the large fractional amplitudes of the observed thermal X-ray pulsations from the polar cap, which contradict the almost aligned rotator model of PSR B0943+10. We analyse the properties of drifting subpulses in the Bright mode and report on the minutes-long variations of the drift period. We searched for the periodic amplitude modulation of drifting subpulses, which is a vital argument for constraining several important system parameters: the degree of aliasing, the orientation of the line-of-sight vector with respect to magnetic and spin axes, the angular velocity of the carousel, and thus, the gradient of the accelerating potential in the polar gap. The periodic amplitude modulation was not detected, indicating that it may be a rare or narrow-band phenomenon. Based on our non-detection and review of available literature, we chose to leave the aliasing order unconstrained and derived the number of sparks under different assumptions about the aliasing order and geometry angles. Contrary to the previous findings, we did not find a large (of the order of 10%) gradual variation of the separation between subpulses throughout Bright mode. We speculate that this large variation may be due to the incorrect accounting for the curvature of the line of sight within the on-pulse window. Finally, we report on the frequency-dependent drift phase delay, which is similar to the delay reported previously for PSR B0809+74. We provide a quantitative explanation of the observed frequency-dependent drift phase delay within the carousel model.
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We present broadband, low-frequency (25-80 MHz and 110-190 MHz) LOFAR observations of PSR B0943+10, with the goal of better illuminating the nature of its enigmatic mode-switching behaviour. This pulsar shows two relatively stable states: a Bright (B) and Quiet (Q) mode, each with different characteristic brightness, profile morphology, and single-pulse properties. We model the average profile evolution both in frequency and time from the onset of each mode, and highlight the differences between the two modes. In both modes, the profile evolution can be well explained by radius-to-frequency mapping at altitudes within a few hundred kilometres of the stellar surface. If both B and Q-mode emission originate at the same magnetic latitude, then we find that the change of emission height between the modes is less than 6%. We also find that, during B-mode, the average profile is gradually shifting towards later spin phase and then resets its position at the next Q-to-B transition. The observed B-mode profile delay is frequency-independent (at least from 25-80 MHz) and asymptotically changes towards a stable value of about 0.004 in spin phase by the end of mode instance, much too large to be due to changing spin-down rate. Such a delay can be interpreted as a gradual movement of the emission cone against the pulsars direction of rotation, with different field lines being illuminated over time. Another interesting explanation is a possible variation of accelerating potential inside the polar gap. This explanation connects the observed profile delay to the gradually evolving subpulse drift rate, which depends on the gradient of the potential across the field lines.
New simultaneous X-ray and radio observations of the archetypal mode-switching pulsar PSR B0943+10 have been carried out with XMM-Newton and the LOFAR, LWA and Arecibo radio telescopes in November 2014. They allowed us to better constrain the X-ray spectral and variability properties of this pulsar and to detect, for the first time, the X-ray pulsations also during the X-ray-fainter mode. The combined timing and spectral analysis indicates that unpulsed non-thermal emission, likely of magnetospheric origin, and pulsed thermal emission from a small polar cap are present during both radio modes and vary in a correlated way.
Observations obtained in the last years challenged the widespread notion that rotation-powered neutron stars are steady X-ray emitters. Besides a few allegedly rotation-powered neutron stars that showed magnetar-like variability, a particularly interesting case is that of PSR B0943+10. Recent observations have shown that this pulsar, well studied in the radio band where it alternates between a bright and a quiescent mode, displays significant X-ray variations, anticorrelated in flux with the radio emission. The study of such synchronous radio/X-ray mode switching opens a new window to investigate the processes responsible for the pulsar radio and high-energy emission. Here we review the main X-ray properties of PSR B0943+10 derived from recent coordinated X-ray and radio observations.
LOFAR, the LOw-Frequency ARray, is a new-generation radio interferometer constructed in the north of the Netherlands and across europe. Utilizing a novel phased-array design, LOFAR covers the largely unexplored low-frequency range from 10-240 MHz and provides a number of unique observing capabilities. Spreading out from a core located near the village of Exloo in the northeast of the Netherlands, a total of 40 LOFAR stations are nearing completion. A further five stations have been deployed throughout Germany, and one station has been built in each of France, Sweden, and the UK. Digital beam-forming techniques make the LOFAR system agile and allow for rapid repointing of the telescope as well as the potential for multiple simultaneous observations. With its dense core array and long interferometric baselines, LOFAR achieves unparalleled sensitivity and angular resolution in the low-frequency radio regime. The LOFAR facilities are jointly operated by the International LOFAR Telescope (ILT) foundation, as an observatory open to the global astronomical community. LOFAR is one of the first radio observatories to feature automated processing pipelines to deliver fully calibrated science products to its user community. LOFARs new capabilities, techniques and modus operandi make it an important pathfinder for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). We give an overview of the LOFAR instrument, its major hardware and software components, and the core science objectives that have driven its design. In addition, we present a selection of new results from the commissioning phase of this new radio observatory.
We report analysis of an 8 hr observation of PSR B0943+10 at 325 MHz performed at the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in India. B0943+10 is well known for displaying regular sub-pulse drifting and two emission modes. We investigate the modal behavior of B0943+10. By reconstructing an entire B mode from two consecutive B modes, we estimate that the pulsar spends roughly 7.5 hrs in the B mode and about 2.2 hrs in the Q mode, on average. Although the pulsar can switch modes within one pulse, the sub-pulse drift rate changes with a characteristic time of 1.2 hrs over the course of a B mode. Under the subbeam carousel model we find the drift-rate changes are produced by a 10% increase in the average number of subbeams and a 16% increase in the carousel circulation time. We speculate that under the partially screened gap model the increase in circulation time should be related to a small increase in the neutron star surface temperature.
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