2022MNRAS.517.3008P

In the seconds following their formation in core-collapse supernovae, 'proto'-magnetars drive neutrino-heated magnetocentrifugal winds. Using a suite of two-dimensional axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic simulations, we show that relatively slowly rotating magnetars with initial spin periods of P_⋆0 = 50-500 ms spin down rapidly during the neutrino Kelvin-Helmholtz cooling epoch. These initial spin periods are representative of those inferred for normal Galactic pulsars, and much slower than those invoked for gamma-ray bursts and superluminous supernovae. Since the flow is non-relativistic at early times, and because the Alfvén radius is much larger than the proto-magnetar radius, spin-down is millions of times more efficient than the typically used dipole formula. Quasi-periodic plasmoid ejections from the closed zone enhance spin-down. For polar magnetic field strengths B₀ ≳ 5 × 10¹⁴ G, the spin-down time-scale can be shorter than the Kelvin-Helmholtz time-scale. For B₀ ≳ 10¹⁵ G, it is of the order of seconds in early phases. We compute the spin evolution for cooling proto-magnetars as a function of B₀, P_⋆0, and mass (M). Proto-magnetars born with B₀ greater than $\simeq 1.3\times 10^{15}\, {\rm \, G}\, (P_{\star 0}/{400\, \rm \, ms})^{-1.4}(M/1.4\, {\rm M}_\odot)^{2.2}$ spin down to periods >1 s in just the first few seconds of evolution, well before the end of the cooling epoch and the onset of classic dipole spin-down. Spin-down is more efficient for lower M and for larger P_⋆0. We discuss the implications for observed magnetars, including the discrepancy between their characteristic ages and supernova remnant ages. Finally, we speculate on the origin of 1E 161348-5055 in the remnant RCW 103, and the potential for other ultra-slowly rotating magnetars.