Applications of radio pulsar population synthesis

Abstract

Improved population synthesis of single radio pulsars with B>= 1011 G confirms that the time scale on which the magnetic field of neutron stars decays is 30 Myr or more. Our simulations suggest that a fair number of neutron stars are born with velocities less than ~200 km/s. The derived birth rate of neutron stars near the Sun is low enough to be compatible with the assumption that all neutron stars are formed in OB associations from stars with M > 10 Modot. There is no need in our simulations for a second pulsar population (e. g., of mildly recycled pulsars) injected at B>= 1011 G, in addition to the neutron stars formed directly from type II supernovae.