Stokes tomography of radio pulsar magnetospheres - II. Millisecond pulsars

Abstract

The radio polarization characteristics of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) differ significantly from those of non-recycled pulsars. In particular, the position angle (PA) swings of many MSPs deviate from the S-shape predicted by the rotating vector model, even after relativistic aberration is accounted for, indicating that they have non-dipolar magnetic geometries, likely due to a history of accretion. Stokes tomography uses phase portraits of the Stokes parameters as a diagnostic tool to infer a pulsar's magnetic geometry and orientation. This paper applies Stokes tomography to MSPs, generalizing the technique to handle interpulse emission. We present an atlas of look-up tables for the Stokes phase portraits and PA swings of MSPs with current-modified dipole fields, filled core and hollow cone beams, and two empirical linear polarization models. We compare our look-up tables to data from 15 MSPs and find that the Stokes phase portraits for a current-modified dipole approximately match several MSPs whose PA swings are flat or irregular and cannot be reconciled with the standard axisymmetric rotating vector model. PSR J1939+2134 and PSR J0437-4715 are modelled in detail. The data from PSR J1939+2134 at 0.61GHz can be fitted well with a current-modified dipole at (α, i) = (22 ± 2°, 80 ± 1°) and emission altitude 0.4rLC. The fit is less accurate for PSR J1939+2134 at 1.414GHz, and for PSR J0437-4715 at 1.44GHz, indicating that these objects may have a more complicated magnetic field geometry, such as a localized surface anomaly or a polar magnetic mountain. © 2011 The Authors Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society © 2011 RAS.