Further Evidence for Alignment of the Rotation and Velocity Vectors in Pulsars

Authors
  • J.M. Rankin
Publication date 2007
Journal Astrophysical Journal
Volume | Issue number 664
Pages (from-to) 443-447
Organisations
  • Faculty of Science (FNWI) - Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy (API)
Abstract
We re-examine the evidence for alignment of the proper motion and fiducial polarization-angle directions in radio pulsars given by Johnston et al., and we find that the case is probably stronger than this paper asserts. Other alignments are examined using the published literature and recent Arecibo polarimetry, providing an enlarged case that pulsar rotation axis and supernovae ``kick'' directions are aligned or orthogonal at birth. Pulsars' ``orthogonal'' polarization modes complicate fixing the orientation of such ``kicks,'' but we note that determining the absolute geometry of the polarization modes is a key objective for understanding the physical origins of pulsar emission.
Document type Article
Note DOI: 10.1086/519018
Published at https://doi.org/10.1086/519018
Published at http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007ApJ...664..443R
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