Resolve the origin and evolutionary history of the high-latitude magnetar

Determine whether the large displacement of EP J223759.5+531421 below the Galactic plane results from a birthplace away from the Galactic midplane, a true age substantially different from its characteristic age, an uncertain distance, or a more complex evolutionary history.

Background

At the fiducial distance of 3.3 kpc, the magnetar lies approximately 0.26 kpc below the Galactic plane, which is difficult to reconcile with its nominal characteristic age of 34 kyr even for an unusually large transverse velocity. The paper therefore considers several possibilities, including an off-plane birthplace, an inaccurate characteristic age, and uncertainty in the distance or evolutionary history.

The authors identify future proper-motion measurements and searches for a possible birth environment as necessary to constrain the source’s origin.