Quantum Vacuum influence on the evolution of Pulsars

Understand

In this letter we show that Quantum Vacuum Friction (QVF) should play an important role in neutron star evolution.

• Taking into account this effect we show that magnetars could be understood as a natural evolution of standard pulsars.
• For the Crab pulsar, of which the characteristic age is known, we present the first completely coherent time evolution for its period and braking index.
• For this pulsar we also give the predicted value of the current first derivative of the braking index, providing a very important test to confirm QVF.