Intermittent pulsars are part-time radio pulsars. They have higher slow down rates in the on state (radio-loud) than in the off state (radio-quiet). This gives evidence that particle wind may play an important role in pulsar spin-down.

LI Lin, a doctoral student whom is advised by Professor WANG Na from Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory, CAS, has applied pulsar wind model for the spin-down behavior of intermittent pulsars. The related papers have been published in The Astrophysical Journal (2014, ApJ, 788, 16).

The effect of particle acceleration is included in modeling the rotational energy loss rate of the neutron star. Applying the pulsar wind model to the three intermittent pulsars (PSR B1931+24, PSR J1841−0500, and PSR J1832+0029) allows their magnetic fields and inclination angles to be calculated simultaneously. The theoretical braking indices of intermittent pulsars are also given. In the pulsar wind model, the density of the particle wind can always be the Goldreich–Julian density. This may ensure that different on states of intermittent pulsars are stable. For PSR B1931+24, the duty cycle of particle wind can be determined from timing observations. It is consistent with the duty cycle of the on state. Inclination angle and braking index observations of intermittent pulsars may help to test different models of particle acceleration. They will provide very strong constraint on our understanding of pulsar magnetospheres.