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The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) is the first focusing hard X-ray mission in orbit and operates in the 3-79 keV range. NuSTAR's sensitivity is roughly two orders of magnitude better than previous missions in this energy band thanks to its superb angular resolution. Since its launch in 2012 June, NuSTAR has performed excellently and observed many interesting sources including four magnetars, two rotation-powered pulsars and the cataclysmic variable AE Aquarii. NuSTAR also discovered 3.76-s pulsations from the transient source SGR J1745-29 recently found by Swift very close to the Galactic center, clearly identifying the source as a transient magnetar. For magnetar 1E 1841-045, we show that the spectrum is well fit by an absorbed blackbody plus broken power-law model with a hard power-law photon index of ∼ 1.3. This is consistent with previous results by INTEGRAL and RXTE. We also find an interesting double-peaked pulse profile in the 25-35 keV band. For AE Aquarii, we show that the spectrum can be described by a multi-temperature thermal model or a thermal plus non-thermal model; a multi-temperature thermal model without a non-thermal component cannot be ruled out. Furthermore, we do not see a spiky pulse profile in the hard X-ray band, as previously reported based on Suzaku observations. For other magnetars and rotation-powered pulsars observed with NuSTAR, data analysis results will be soon available. (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on long-term monitoring of anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). Using phase-coherent timing, we find a wide variety of behaviors among the sources, ranging from high stability (in 1E 2259.1+586 in quiescence and 4U 0142+61), to instabilities so severe that phase-coherent timing is not possible (in 1E 1048.1-5937). We note a correlation in which timing stability in AXPs decreases with increasing spin-down rate (ν˙). The timing stability of soft-gamma repeaters (SGRs) in quiescence is consistent with this trend, which is similar to one seen in radio pulsars. We find no significant pulse morphology variations in any AXP in quiescence. We considered high signal-to-noise average pulse profiles for each AXP as a function of energy. We show that, as in the timing properties, there is a variety of different behaviors for the energy dependence. We also used the monitoring and archival data to obtain pulsed flux time series for each source. We have found no large changes in pulsed flux for any source in quiescence, and have set 1σ upper limits on variations ∼20–30% depending on the source. We have recently discovered bursts from the direction of two AXPs: 1E 1048.1-5937 the most SGR-like AXP, and 1E 2259.1+586 the most rotationally stable AXP. We compare the temporal, spectral and flux properties of these events to those of SGR bursts, and show that the two phenomena are very similar. These results imply a close relationship between AXPs and SGRs, with both being magnetars. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The X-ray Pulsar PSR J1811-1925 in the historic supernova remnant G11.2-0.3 has a characteristic age over 10 times the age of the remnant. This likely implies that its current spin period, 65 ms, is close to its birth spin period. Alternatively, the pulsar may have an unusually high braking index. We report here on regular Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer/Proportional Counting Array (RXTE/PCA) timing observations of the pulsar that were designed to measure its braking index. We provide a preliminary phase-coherent timing solution which includes a significant ν¨. The braking index we measure is ≫3, likely a result of conventional timing noise. We also report on a preliminary analysis of the pulsar's hard spectrum: we determine a photon index of Γ=1.78±0.74, for the pulsed component of the spectrum, consistent within the uncertainties with previous ASCA and Chandra observations. The pulsed emission of PSR J1811-1925 is seen beyond 30 keV, and the pulsations remain sinusoidal up to and beyond this energy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Parkes Multibeam Pulsar Survey is a sensitive survey of a strip of the Galactic plane with |b| < 5° and 260° < l < 50° at 1374 MHz. Here we report the discovery of 120 new pulsars and subsequent timing observations, primarily using the 76-m Lovell radio telescope at Jodrell Bank. The main features of the sample of 370 published pulsars discovered during the multibeam survey are described. Furthermore, we highlight two pulsars: PSR J1734-3333, a young pulsar with the second highest surface magnetic field strength among the known radio pulsars, B[sub s]= 5.4 × 10[sup 13] G , and PSR J1830-1135, the second slowest radio pulsar known, with a 6-s period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the performance of Parkes multi-beam pulsar survey along the Galactic plane. Inclusion of the concept of receiver and data acquisition system; Emphasis of the pulsar emission properties; Consideration of high radio luminosity.

We report on the discovery of a binary pulsar, PSR J1740-3052, during the Parkes multibeam survey. Timing observations of the 570-ms pulsar at Jodrell Bank and Parkes show that it is young, with a characteristic age of 350 kyr, and is in a 231-d, highly eccentric orbit with a companion whose mass exceeds 11 M[sub ⊙]. An accurate position for the pulsar was obtained using the Australia Telescope Compact Array. Near-infrared 2.2-μm observations made with the telescopes at the Siding Spring observatory reveal a late-type star coincident with the pulsar position. However, we do not believe that this star is the companion of the pulsar, because a typical star of this spectral type and required mass would extend beyond the orbit of the pulsar. Furthermore, the measured advance of periastron of the pulsar suggests a more compact companion, for example, a main-sequence star with radius only a few times that of the Sun. Such a companion is also more consistent with the small dispersion measure variations seen near periastron. Although we cannot conclusively rule out a black hole companion, we believe that the companion is probably an early B star, making the system similar to the binary PSR J0045-7319. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Timing observations of 40 mostly young pulsars using the ATNF Parkes radio telescope between 1990 January and 1998 December are reported. In total, 20 previously unreported glitches and 10 other glitches were detected in 11 pulsars. These included 12 glitches in PSR J1341-6220, corresponding to a glitch rate of 1.5 glitches per year. We also detected the largest known glitch, in PSR J1614-5047, with Δν[sub g]ν≈6.5×10[sup -6], where ν=1/P is the pulse frequency. Glitch parameters were determined both by extrapolating timing solutions to interglitch intervals and by phase-coherent timing fits across the glitch(es). These fits also give improved positions and dispersion measures for many of the pulsars. Analysis of glitch parameters, both from this work and from previously published results, shows that most glitches have a fractional amplitude Δν[sub g]ν of between 10[sup -8] and 10[sup -6]. There is no consistent relationship between glitch amplitude and the time since the previous glitch or the time to the following glitch, either for the ensemble or for individual pulsars. As previously recognized, the largest glitch activity is seen in pulsars with ages of order 10[sup 4] yr, but for about 30 per cent of such pulsars, no glitches were detected in the 8-year data span. There is some evidence for a new type of timing irregularity in which there is a significant increase in pulse frequency over a few days, accompanied by a decrease in the magnitude of the slow-down rate. Fits of an exponential recovery to post-glitch data show that for most older pulsars, only a small fraction of the glitch decays. In some younger pulsars a large fraction of the glitch decays, but in others there is very little decay. Apart from the Crab pulsar, there is no clear dependence of recovery time-scale on pulsar age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are undertaking a high-frequency survey of the Galactic plane for radio pulsars, using the 13-element multibeam receiver on the 64-m Parkes radio telescope. We describe briefly the survey system and some of the initial results. PSR J1811-1736, one of the first pulsars discovered with this system, has a rotation period of 104 ms. Subsequent timing observations using the 76-m radio telescope at Jodrell Bank show that it is in an 18.8-d, highly eccentric binary orbit. We have measured the rate of advance of periastron which indicates a total system mass of 2.6±0.9 M[sub ⊙], and the minimum companion mass is about 0.7 M[sub ⊙]. This, the high orbital eccentricity and the recycled nature of the pulsar suggest that this system is composed of two neutron stars, only the fourth or fifth such system known in the disc of the Galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents evidence from a precessing pulsar orbit for a neutron-star birth kick. Explanation of the high velocities of pulsars; Radio observations of the pulsar PSR J0045-7319; Significant deviations from a simple Keplerian orbit; Indications of a pulsar's periastron and spin-orbiting coupling seen through a misalignment; Explanation of the misalignment.

The COS B high energy γ-ray source 2CG 075+00, also known as GeV J2020+3658 or 3EG J2021+3716, has avoided identification with a low energy counterpart for over 20 years. We present a likely identification with the discovery and subsequent timing of a young and energetic pulsar, PSR J2021+3651, with the Wideband Arecibo Pulsar Processor at the Arecibo Observatory. PSR J2021+3651 has a rotation period P∼104 ms and P˙∼9.6×10−14, implying a characteristic age τc∼17 kyr and a spin-down luminosity E˙∼3.4×1036 erg s−1. The pulsar is also coincident with the ASCA source AX J2021.1+3651. The implied luminosity of the associated X-ray source suggests the X-ray emission is dominated by a pulsar wind nebula unresolved by ASCA. The pulsar’s unexpectedly high dispersion measure (DM ∼ 371 pc cm−3) and the d&ges;10 kpc DM distance pose a new question: is PSR J2021+3651 an extremely efficient γ-ray pulsar at the edge of the Galaxy? This is a question for AGILE and GLAST to answer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]