P1153 - Timing observations of PSR J0901?4046

Brief description The radio-emitting neutron star population encompasses objects with spin periods ranging from milliseconds to tens of seconds. As they age and spin more slowly, their radio emission is expected to cease. PSR J0901-4046 is one of the slowest spinning radio-emitting neutron stars spinning with a period of 76 seconds. Its spin properties are distinct from the known spin and magnetic-decay powered neutron stars, and challenge our understanding of how these systems evolve. It is likely an old magnetar, which are neutron stars with powerful magnetic fields, but how it generates radio emission is uncertain. The radio emission has some unique properties that provide clues to the emission mechanism, and may connect it to the evasive ultra-long period magnetars and fast radio bursts. Detecting similar sources is observationally challenging, which implies a larger undetected population, and studies of these sources are important to our understanding of the neutron star population as a whole.