Glitching Pulsars: Unraveling the Interactions of General Relativistic and Quantum Fields in the Strong Field Regimes

In this article we modify our previous model for the mechanisms underlying the glitch phenomena in pulsars. Accordingly, pulsars are born with embryonic cores that are made of purely incompressible superconducting gluon-quark superfluid (henceforth SuSu-cores). As the ambient medium cools and spins down due to emission of magnetic dipole radiation, the mass and size of SuSu-cores must grow discretely with time, in accordance with the Onsager-Feynmann analysis of superfluidity. Here we argue that the spacetime embedding glitching pulsars is dynamical and of bimetric nature: inside SuSu-cores the spacetime must be flat, whereas the surrounding region, where the matter is compressible and dissipative, the spacetime is Schwarzschild. It is argued here that the topological change of spacetime is derived by the strong nuclear force, whose operating length scales are found to increase with time to reach O (1) cm at the end of the luminous lifetimes of pulsars. The here-presented model is in line with the recent radio- and gravitational wave observations of pulsars and merger of neutron stars.

The Generalized Newton’s Law of Gravitation Versus the General Theory of Relativity

Einstein general theory of relativity (GTR) accounted well for the precession of the perihelion of planets and binary pulsars. While the ordinary Newton law of gravitation failed, a generalized version yields similar results. We have shown here that these effects can be accounted for as due to the existence of gravitomagnetism only, and not necessarily due to the curvature of space time. Or alternatively, gravitomagnetism is equivalent to a curved space-time. The precession of the perihelion of planets and binary pulsars may be interpreted as due to the spin of the orbiting planet (m) about the Sun (M). The spin (S) of planets is found to be related to their orbital angular momentum (L) by a simple formula, viz., S (m/M)L.

Evidence of Pulsars Metamorphism and Their Connection to Stellar Black Holes

It is agreed that the progenitors of neutron stars (-NSs) and black holes (-BHs) should be massive stars with . Yet none of these objects have ever been found with . Moreover, numerical modelings show that NSs of reasonable masses can be obtained only if the corresponding central density is beyond the nuclear one: an unverifiable density-regime with unknown physics. Here I intend to clarify the reasons underlying the existence of this mass-gap and propose a new class of invisible ultra-compact objects: the end-stage in the cosmological evolution of pulsars and neutron stars in an ever expanding universe. The present study relies on theoretical and experimental considerations as well as on solution of the non-linear TOV equation modified to include a universal scalar field −∅at the background of supranuclear densities. The computer-code is based on finite volume method using both the first-order Euler and fourth-order Rugge-Kutta integration methods. The inclusion of ∅at zero-temperature is motivated by recent observations of the short-living pentaquarks at the LHC. Based on these studies, I argue that pulsars must be born with embryonic super-baryons (SBs) that form through merger of individual neutrons at their centers. The cores of SBs are made of purely incompressible superconducting gluon-quark superfluids (henceforth SuSu-fluids). Such quantum fluids have a uniform supranuclear density and governed by the critical EOSs for baryonic matter and for ∅-induced dark energy . The incompressibility here ensures that particles communicate at the shortest possible time scale, superfluidity and superconductivity enforce SBs to spin-down promptly as dictated by the Onsager-Feynman equation and to expel vortices and magnetic flux tubes, whereas their lowest energy state grants SBs lifetimes that are comparable to those of protons. These extra-ordinary long lifetimes suggest that conglomeration of SuSu-objects would evolve over several big bang events to possibly form dark matter halos that embed the galaxies in the observable universe. Pulsars and young neutron stars should metamorphose into SuSu-objects: a procedure which is predicted to last for one Gyr or even shorter, depending on their initial compactness. Once the process is completed, then they become extraordinary compact and turn invisible. It turns out that recent observations of particle collisions at the LHC and RHIC, observations of glitching pulsars and primordial galaxies remarkably support the present scenario.

Radiation Spectral Analysis of 3D Dust Molecular Clusters(PAHs)and Peptoids under Ionization and Electric Field in ISM

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs),PANHs,and peptoids dust spectral calculations from the interstellar medium(ISM)are important for dust observations and theory.Our goal is to calculate the radiation spectrum of spherical PAHs dust clusters in a vacuum containing ionized and applied in the presence of an electric field.We propose a new simple computational model to calculate the size of three-dimensional spherical dust clusters formed by different initial dust structures.By the Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package code,the density functional theory with the generalized approximation was used to calculate the electron density gradient and obtain the radiation spectrum of dust.When the radius of spherical dust clusters is~[0.009-0.042]μm,the dust radiation spectrum agrees well with the Z=0.02 mMMP stellar spectra,and the PAHs radiation spectrum of NGC 4676 at wavelengths of(0-5]μm and(5-10]μm,respectively.In the ionized state,the N-PAH,C_(10)H_(9)N,2(C_(4)H_(4))^(1+),and peptoids 4(CHON),(C_(8)H_(10)N_(2)O_(5))^(1+)dust clusters at 3.3μm,while the 2(C_(22)H_(21)N_(3)O_(2))^(1+),4(CHON)dust clusters at 5.2μm have obvious peaks.There is a characteristic of part of PAHs and peptoids clusters radiation at the nearinfrared wavelength of 2μm.However,especially after applying an electric field to the dust,the emission spectrum of the dust increases significantly in the radiation wavelength range[3-10]μm.Consequently,the dust clusters of PAHs,PANHs,and peptoids of the radius size~[0.009-0.042]μm are likely to exist in the ISM.

Characteristics of Emission Non-nulling Pulsars Through Simulation

We investigate the population and several properties of radio pulsars whose emission does not null(non-nulling)through simulation of a large pulsar sample.Emission from a pulsar is identified as non-nulling if(i)the emission does not cease across the whole pulse profile,and(ii)the emission is detectable.For(i),we adopt a model for switching in the plasma charge density,and emission persists if the charge density is non-zero.For(ii),we assume that detectable emission originates from source points where it is emitted tangentially to the magnetic field-line and parallel to the line-of-sight.We find that pulsars exhibiting non-nulling emission possess obliquity angles with an average of 42°.5,and almost half the samples maintain a duty cycle between 0.05 and 0.2.Furthermore,the pulsar population is not fixed but dependent on the obliquity angle,with the population peaking at 20°.In addition,three evolutionary phases are identified in the pulsar population as the obliquity angle evolves,with the majority of samples having an obliquity angle between 20°and 65°.Our results also suggest that emission from a pulsar may evolve between nulling and non-nulling during its lifetime.

How can FAST improve study of the pulsar emission mechanism and magnetospheric dynamics?

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope(FAST) has the potential to discover many new pulsars and new phenomena. In this paper we mainly concentrate on how FAST can impact study of the pulsar emission mechanism and magnetospheric dynamics. Several observational programs heading to this direction are reviewed. To make full use of the superior performance of FAST and maximize the scientific outcome, these programs can be arranged in different phases of FAST according to their demands for observational conditions. We suggest that programs can be performed following the test phase, which are observations of multifrequency mean pulse profiles, anomalous X-ray pulsars(AXPs)/soft gamma-ray repeaters(SGRs), mode changing, drifting subpulse and nulling. The long-term monitoring can be carried out for mode changing, AXPs/SGRs and precessional pulsars. Others programs, including polarization observations of radio and γ-ray pulsars, searching for weak pulse components, and multifrequency observations of subpulse drifting, microstructure and giant pulses, can be conducted in all the normal operating phases(the first and second phases). These programs will push forward the frontier in this field in different respects. The search for sub-millisecond pulsars and follow-up observations of their emission properties are very important projects for FAST, but they may be covered by other papers in this mini-volume; therefore,they are not discussed here.

A Monte Carlo Study of the Evolution of the Scale Height of Normal Pulsars in the Galaxy

Based on the undisturbed, finite thickness disk gravitational potential, we carried out 3-D Monte Carlo simulations of normal pulsars. We find that their scale height evolves in a similar way for different velocity dispersions （δv）： it first increases linearly with time, reaches a peak, then gradually decreases, and finally approaches a stable asymptotic value. The initial velocity dispersion has a very large influence on the scale height. The time evolution of the scale height is studied. When the magnetic decay age is used as the time variable, the observed scale height has a similar trend as the simulated results in the linear stage, from which we derive velocity dispersions in the range 70 - 178km s^-1, which are near the statistical result of 90 - 270km s^-1 for 92 pulsars with known transverse velocities. If the characteristic age is used as the time variable, then the observed and theoretical curves roughly agree for t 〉 10^8 yr only if av 〈 25km s^-1.

An Arecibo follow-up study of seven pulsars discovered by Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope(FAST)

We present Arecibo 327 MHz confirmation and follow-up studies of seven new pulsars discovered by the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope(FAST).These pulsars are discovered in a pilot program of the Commensal Radio Astronomy FAST Survey(CRAFTS)with the ultra-widebandwidth commissioning receiver.Five of them are normal pulsars and two are extreme nulling slow pulsars.PSR J2111+2132’s dispersion measure(DM:78.5 pc cm^(-3))is above the upper limits of the two Galactic free electron density models,NE2001 and YMW16,and PSR J2057+2133’s position is out of the Scutum-Crux Arm,making them uniquely useful for improving the Galactic free electron density model in their directions.We present a detailed single pulse analysis for the slow nulling pulsars.We show evidence that PSR J2323+1214’s main pulse component follows a non-Poisson distribution and marginal evidence for a sub-pulse-drift or recurrent period of 32.3±0.4 rotations from PSR J0539+0013.We discuss the implication of our finding to the pulsar radiation mechanism.

FAST Pulsar Database.I.Polarization Profiles of 682 Pulsars

Pulsar polarization profiles form a very basic database for understanding the emission processes in a pulsar magnetosphere.After careful polarization calibration of the 19-beam L-band receiver and verification of beamoffset observation results,we obtain polarization profiles of 682 pulsars from observations by the Five-hundredmeter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope(FAST)duringthe Galactic Plane Pulsar Snapshot survey and other normal FAST projects.Among them,polarization profiles of about 460 pulsars are observed for the first time.The profiles exhibit diverse features.Some pulsars have a polarization position angle curve with a good S-shaped swing,some with orthogonal modes;some have components with highly linearly polarized components or strong circularly polarized components;some have a very wide profile,coming from an aligned rotator,and some have an interpulse from a perpendicular rotator;some wide profiles are caused by interstellar scattering.We derive geometric parameters for 190 pulsars from the S-shaped position angle curves or with orthogonal modes.We find that the linear and circular polarization or the widths of pulse profiles have various frequency dependencies.Pulsars with a large fraction of linear polarization are more likely to have a large Edot.

New limits on the photon mass with radio pulsars in the Magellanic clouds

A conservative constraint on the rest mass of the photon can be estimated under the assump- tion that the frequency dependence of dispersion from astronomical sources is mainly contributed by the nonzero photon mass effect. Photon mass limits have been set earlier through the optical emissions of the Crab Nebula pulsar, but we demonstrate that these limits can be significantly improved with the dispersion measure （DM） measurements of radio pulsars in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. The combination of DM measurements of pulsars and distances of the Magellanic Clouds provides a strict upper limit on the photon mass as low as mγ≤2.0 ～ 10-45 g, which is at least four orders of magnitude smaller than the constraint from the Crab Nebula pulsar. Although our limit is not as tight as the current best result （～ 10-47 g） from a fast radio burst （FRB 150418） at a cosmological distance, the cosmological origin of FRB 150418 remains under debate; and our limit can reach the same high precision of FRB 150418 when it has an extragalactic origin （ ～10-45 g）.

Why the Spacetime Embedding Incompressible Cores of Pulsars Must Be Conformally Flat?

The multi-messenger observations of the merger event in GW170817 did not rule out the possibility that the remnant might be a dynamically stable neutron star with . Based on this and other recent events, I argue that the universal maximum density hypothesis should be revived. Accordingly, the central densities in the cores of ultra-compact objects must be upper-limited by the critical density number ncr, beyond which supranuclear dense matter becomes purely incompressible. Based on the spacetime-matter coupling in GR, it is shown that the topology of spacetime embedding incompressible quantum fluids with n=ncr must be Minkowski flat, which implies that spacetime at the background of ultra-compact objects should be bimetric.

How Massive Are the Superfluid Cores in the Crab and Vela Pulsars and Why Their Glitch-Events Are Accompanied with under and Overshootings?

The Crab and Vela are well-studied glitching pulsars and the data obtained so far should enable us to test the reliability of models of their internal structures. Very recently it was proposed that glitching pulsars are embedded in bimetric spacetime: their incompressible superfluid cores (SuSu-cores) are embedded in flat spacetime, whereas the ambient compressible and dissipative media are enclosed in Schwarzschild spacetime. In this letter we apply this model to the Crab and Vela pulsars and show that a newly born pulsar initially of and an embryonic SuSu-core of could evolve into a Crab-like pulsar after 1000 years and into a Vela-like pulsar 10,000 years later to finally fade away as an invisible dark energy object after roughly 10 Myr. Based thereon we infer that the Crab and the Vela pulsars should have SuSu-cores of and , respectively. Furthermore, the under- and overshootings phenomena observed to accompany the glitch events of the Vela pulsar are rather a common phenomenon of glitching pulsars that can be well-explained within the framework of bimetric spacetime.

Assessing the effects of timing irregularities on radio pulsars anomalous braking indices

We investigate the statistical effects of non-discrete timing irregularities on observed radio pul- sar braking indices using correlations between the second derivative of the measured anomalous frequency （vobs） and some parameters that have been widely used to quantify pulsar timing fluctuations （the timing activity parameter （A）, the amount of timing fluctuations absorbed by the cubic term （crR23） and a measure of pulsar rotational stability （δz）） in a large sample of 366 Jodrell Bank Observatory radio pulsars. The result demonstrates that anomalous braking indices are largely artifacts produced by aggregations of fluc- tuations that occur within or outside the pulsar system. For a subsample of 223 normal radio pulsars whose observed timing activity appeared consistent with instabilities in rotation of the underlying neutron stars （or timing noise） over timescales of - 10 - 40 yr,/vobs / strongly correlates （with correlation coefficient /r/ - 0.80 - 0.90） with the pulsar timing activity parameters and spin-down properties. On the other hand, no meaningful correlations （r 〈 0.3） were found between/）obs and the timing activity diagnostics and spin- down parameters in the remaining 143 objects, whose timing activity appears significantly dominated by white noise fluctuations. The current result can be better understood if the timing noise in isolated pulsars originates from intrinsic spin-down processes of the underlying neutron stars, but white noise fluctuations largely arise from processes external to the pulsar system.

An Analysis of Average Pulsar Profiles and A Study of the ρ-P relation of Pulsars

Using the method of Gaussian Fit Separation of Average Profile (GF-SAP), we re-examine the average profiles of nine pulsars at several frequencies, ranging from 408-1642 MHz. This method enables us to obtain the number of components for each pulsar, and the parameters for each component, the width, position and amplitude. The ρ-P relation for the inner cone and outer cone are studied separately, and the results are, respectively, ρ = p-0.51±0.05 and ρ= p-0.42±0.06 The results can be interpreted as a confirmation of the double-cone structure of pulsar emission beams. The altitudes of emission region, and the radius-to-frequency-map (RFM) are also examined; for the outer cone, we obtained γ(v) ∝v-0.19±0.09.

Detectability of rotation-powered pulsars in future hard X-ray surveys

Recent INTEGRAL/IBIS hard X-ray surveys have detected about 10 young pulsars. We show hard X-ray properties of these 10 young pulsars, which have a luminosity of 10^33 - 10^37 erg s^-1 and a photon index of 1.6-2.1 in the energy range of 20-100 keV. The correlation between X-ray luminosity and spin-down power of Lx ∝ Lsd^1.31 suggests that the hard X-ray emission in rotation-powered pulsars is dominated by the pulsar wind nebula （PWN） component. Assuming spectral properties are similar in 20-100keV and 2-10 keV for both the pulsar and PWN components, the hard X-ray luminosity and flux of 39 known young X-ray pulsars and 8 millisecond pulsars are obtained, and a correlation of Lx ∝ Lsd^1.5 is derived. About 20 known young X-ray pulsars and 1 millisecond pulsars could be detected with future INTEGRAL and HXMT surveys. We also carry out Monte Carlo simulations of hard X-ray pulsars in the Galaxy and the Gould Belt, assuming values for the pulsar birth rate, initial position, proper motion velocity, period, and magnetic field distribution and evolution based on observational statistics and the Lx - Lsd reltions：Lx ∝Lsd^1.31 and Lx∝Lsd^1.5 More than 40 young pulsars （mostly in the Galactic plane） could be detected after ten years of INTEGRAL surveys and the launch of HXMT. So, the young pulsars would be a significant part of the hard X-ray source population in the sky, and will contribute to unidentified hard X-ray sources in present and future hard X-ray surveys by INTEGRAL and HXMT.

Possible Contribution of Mature γ-ray Pulsars to Cosmic-ray Positrons

We restudy the possible contribution of mature gamma-ray pulsars to cosmic ray positrons based on the new version of outer gap model. In this model, the inclination angle and average properties of the outer gap are taken into account, and more mature pulsars can have the outer gap and emit high energy photons. Half of the primary particles in the outer gaps will flow back toward the star surface and emit synchrotron photons, which can produce electron/positron pairs by the cascade of pair production. Some of these pairs will escape from the light cylinder and be accelerated to relativistic energies in the pulsar wind driven by low-frequency electromagnetic waves. Using a Monte Carlo method, we obtain a sample of mature gamma-ray pulsars and then calculate the production of the positrons from these pulsars. The observed excess of cosmic positrons can be well explained by this model.

Can the inner gap sparking take place in millisecond pulsars?

The inner vacuum gap model has become the foundation stone of most theorieson pulsar radio emission. The fundamental picture of this model is the sparking, which wasconjectured to be induced by magnetic absorption of background gamma photons. However, a questionis, can the sparking be triggered in the millisecond pulsars (MSPs) with magnetic fields (B) onlyabout 10~8 G? We investigate this problem by including the pair production above the inner gap.Under the assumption that the magnetic field is dipolar, our results show the background gamma-rayemission can not be the key factor that triggers the sparking, at least not in MSPs with B ～ 10~8G, if the temperature in the polar cap region is only so high as is observed (< 4 x 10~6K). Someother mechanisms are required.

Spectral Properties of Anomalous X-ray Pulsars

We examine the spectra of the persistent emission from anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) and their variation with the spin-down rate . Based on an accretion-powered model, the influences of both the magnetic field and the mass accretion rate on the spectral properties of AXPs are addressed. We then investigate the relation between the spectral property of AXPs and mass accretion rate . The result shows that there exists a linear correlation between the photon index and the mass accretion rate: the spectral hardness increases with increasing . A possible emission mechanism for the explanation of the spectral properties of AXPs is also discussed.

Scintillation Dynamic Spectra and Transverse Velocities ofSeven Pulsars

Using a pulsar timing system developed at Urumqi Astronomical Observatory's 25-m telescope, we observed scintillation dynamic spectra for seven pulsars at the relatively high frequency of 1540 MHz over a wide frequency band of 320 MHz. Averaging observations at different epochs, we obtain time scales and decorrelation bandwidths for diffractive scintillation and show that these imply a power-law index for the electron density fluctuation close to 4.0. Assuming this value and that the scattering disk is approximately midway between the pulsar and the earth, we compute transverse velocities for the seven pulsars. These values are generally in good agreement with the proper motion velocities.

30 glitches in 18 radio pulsars

Pulsar timing is a classic technology of detecting irregularities in pulsar rotation.We carried out this method for 18 young radio pulsars,with long-term timing observations obtained between 2007 and 2015 using the Parkes 64-m radio telescope.As a result,30 glitches were identified,ranging from 0.75 × 10^(-9) to 8.6 × 10^(-6) in the relative glitch sizes Δv/v,where v=1/P is the pulse frequency.These glitches are composed of 26 new glitches and four published glitches with new exponential recoveries.All pulsars exhibit normal glitches,and six pulsars were observed to undergo a glitch event for the first time.We discuss the properties and implications for neutron-star physics of these glitches,and show that they are in agreement with previous work,except that the cumulative probability distributions of the mean waiting times for PSRs J0537-6910,J1341-6220 and J1740-3015 are not in consonance with the Poisson model.