A statistical study of 233 pulsar proper motions

A statistical study of 233 pulsar proper motions

2018 | G. Hobbs, D.R. Lorimer, A.G. Lyne, M. Kramer
A statistical study of 233 pulsar proper motions presents and analyzes a catalog of 233 pulsars with proper motion measurements. The sample includes a wide variety of pulsars, including recycled objects and those associated with globular clusters or supernova remnants. The majority of proper motions (58%) are derived from pulsar timing methods, 41% from interferometers, and 1% from optical telescopes. The mean 1-D speeds for normal and recycled pulsars are 152(10) and 54(6) km s⁻¹, respectively, while the corresponding mean 2-D speeds are 246(22) and 87(13) km s⁻¹. PSRs B2011+38 and B2224+64 have the highest inferred 2-D speeds of ~1600 km s⁻¹. The distribution of velocities is well described by a Maxwellian distribution with a 1-D rms σ = 265 km s⁻¹. There is no evidence for a bimodal velocity distribution. The proper motions for PSRs B1830−08 and B2334+61 are consistent with their associations with the supernova remnants W41 and G114.3+0.3, respectively. The study also finds that the mean 3-D pulsar birth velocity is 400(40) km s⁻¹. The results suggest that the true space velocities of young pulsars range from a few tens to well over 1000 km s⁻¹, with a mean velocity of 400(40) km s⁻¹. The study concludes that the 3-D velocity vector is isotropic and that the results more closely match the earlier conclusions of Lyne & Lorimer (1994) than other studies. The implications of these results for 'kick' mechanisms are discussed, with the true space velocities of young pulsars ranging from a few tens to well over 1000 km s⁻¹.A statistical study of 233 pulsar proper motions presents and analyzes a catalog of 233 pulsars with proper motion measurements. The sample includes a wide variety of pulsars, including recycled objects and those associated with globular clusters or supernova remnants. The majority of proper motions (58%) are derived from pulsar timing methods, 41% from interferometers, and 1% from optical telescopes. The mean 1-D speeds for normal and recycled pulsars are 152(10) and 54(6) km s⁻¹, respectively, while the corresponding mean 2-D speeds are 246(22) and 87(13) km s⁻¹. PSRs B2011+38 and B2224+64 have the highest inferred 2-D speeds of ~1600 km s⁻¹. The distribution of velocities is well described by a Maxwellian distribution with a 1-D rms σ = 265 km s⁻¹. There is no evidence for a bimodal velocity distribution. The proper motions for PSRs B1830−08 and B2334+61 are consistent with their associations with the supernova remnants W41 and G114.3+0.3, respectively. The study also finds that the mean 3-D pulsar birth velocity is 400(40) km s⁻¹. The results suggest that the true space velocities of young pulsars range from a few tens to well over 1000 km s⁻¹, with a mean velocity of 400(40) km s⁻¹. The study concludes that the 3-D velocity vector is isotropic and that the results more closely match the earlier conclusions of Lyne & Lorimer (1994) than other studies. The implications of these results for 'kick' mechanisms are discussed, with the true space velocities of young pulsars ranging from a few tens to well over 1000 km s⁻¹.
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