{
  "id": "1709.07448",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2017-09-21T13:49:41.000Z",
  "updated": "2017-09-21T13:49:41.000Z",
  "title": "A new look at distances and velocities of neutron stars",
  "authors": [
    "Frank Verbunt",
    "Eric Cator"
  ],
  "comment": "Has appeared in Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy special issue on 'Physics of Neutron Stars and Related Objects', celebrating the 75th birth-year of G. Srinivasan. Ten pages, nine figures",
  "journal": "J.Astrophys.Astr. (2017) 38:40",
  "categories": [
    "astro-ph.HE",
    "astro-ph.SR"
  ],
  "abstract": "We take a fresh look at the determination of distances and velocities of neutron stars. The conversion of a parallax measurement into a distance, or distance probability distribution, has led to a debate quite similar to the one involving Cepheids, centering on the question whether priors can be used when discussing a single system. With the example of PSRJ0218+4232 we show that a prior is necessary to determine the probability distribution for the distance. The distance of this pulsar implies a gamma-ray luminosity larger than 10% of its spindown luminosity. For velocities the debate is whether a single Maxwellian describes the distribution for young pulsars. By limiting our discussion to accurate (VLBI) measurements we argue that a description with two Maxwellians, with distribution parameters sigma1=77 and sigma2=320 km/s, is significantly better. Corrections for galactic rotation, to derive velocities with respect to the local standards of rest, are insignificant.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2017-09-21T13:49:41.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "neutron stars",
      "velocities",
      "distance probability distribution",
      "gamma-ray luminosity larger",
      "parallax measurement"
    ],
    "tags": [
      "journal article"
    ],
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 0,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable"
    }
  }
}