Long term radio and X-ray evolution of the magnetar Swift J1818.0-1607

Abstract

ABSTRACT We report on the the long term monitoring campaign of the seemingly youngest magnetar Swift J1818.0–1607 at radio and X-ray wavelengths over a span of one year. We obtained a coherent timing solution for the magnetar over the same time span. The frequency derivative of the magnetar shows systematic variation with the values oscillating about a mean value of −1.37 × 10−11 Hz s−1. The magnitude of the variation in the frequency derivative reduces with time before converging on the mean value. This corresponds to a characteristic age of ∼ 860 years, 2–4 times more than previously estimated. We were able to identify four states in the spin-frequency derivative that were quantified by the amount of modulation about the mean value and the transition between these states seem to be correlated with the change in the radio emission of the magnetar while no correlation is seen in the average radio profile variability on a shorter time-scale (days). The 0.5–12 keV X-ray flux shows a monotonic decrease that can be attributed to thermal emission from a hot spot on the surface of the neutron star that is reducing in size. Such decrease is consistent with what is seen in other magnetars. The potential correlation between the radio emission mode and the behaviour of the spin-down rate hints to a global change in the magnetopshere of the magnetar akin to the correlation seen in a subset of mode-changing radio pulsars and suggests a physical link between the two sub-populations.