Discovery, Timing, and Multiwavelength Observations of the Black Widow Millisecond Pulsar PSR J1555-2908
Paul S. Ray, Lars Nieder, Colin J. Clark, Scott M. Ransom, H. Thankful Cromartie, Dale A. Frail, Kunal P. Mooley, Huib Intema, Preshanth Jagannathan, Paul Demor… 展开作者
Paul S. Ray, Lars Nieder, Colin J. Clark, Scott M. Ransom, H. Thankful Cromartie, Dale A. Frail, Kunal P. Mooley, Huib Intema, Preshanth Jagannathan, Paul Demorest, Kevin Stovall, Jules P. Halpern, Julia Deneva, Sebastien Guillot, Matthew Kerr, Samuel J. Swihart, Philippe Bruel, Ben W. Stappers, Andrew Lyne, Mitch Mickaliger, Fernando Camilo, Elizabeth C. Ferrara, Michael T. Wolff, P. F. Michelson
We report the discovery of PSR J1555-2908, a 1.79 ms radio and gamma-ray pulsar in a 5.6 hr binary system with a minimum companion mass of 0.052 $M_\odot$. This fast and energetic ($\dot E = 3 \times 10^{35}$ erg/s) millisecond pulsar was first detected as a gamma-ray point source in Fermi LAT sky survey observations. Guided by a steep spectrum radio point source in the Fermi error region, we performed a search at 820 MHz with the Green Bank Telescope that first discovered the pulsations. The initial radio pulse timing observations provided enough information to seed a search for gamma-ray pulsations in the LAT data, from which we derive a timing solution valid for the full Fermi mission. In addition to the radio and gamma-ray pulsation discovery and timing, we searched for X-ray pulsations using NICER but no significant pulsations were detected. We also obtained time-series r-band photometry that indicates strong heating of the companion star by the pulsar wind. Material blown off the heated companion eclipses the 820 MHz radio pulse during inferior conjunction of the companion for ~10% of the orbit, which is twice the angle subtended by its Roche lobe in an edge-on system.
We report on Chandra observations of the black widow pulsar, PSR B1957+20. Evidence for a binary-phase dependence of the X-ray emission from the pulsar is found with a deep observation. The binary-phase resolved spectral analysis reveals non-thermal X-ray emission of PSR B1957+20, confirming the results of previous studies. This suggests that the X-rays are mostly due to intra-binary shock emission which is strongest when the pulsar wind interacts with the ablated material from the companion star. The geometry of the peak emission is determined in our study. The marginal softening of the spect…
We report our discovery of orbitally modulated $γ$-ray emission from the black widow system PSR J1311-3430. We analyze the \textit{Fermi} Large Area Telescope data during the offpulse phase interval of the pulsar, and find the orbital modulation signal at a $\sim$3$σ$ confidence level. Further spectral analysis shows no significant differences for the spectra obtained during the bright and faint orbital phase ranges. A simple sinusoid-like function can describe the modulation. Given these properties, we suggest that the intrabinary $γ$-ray emission arises from the region close to the companion…
We report on high-energy properties of the black widow pulsar PSR J2241$-$5236 in the X-ray and the Fermi-LAT (GeV gamma-ray) bands. In the LAT band, the phase-averaged gamma-ray light curve shows orbital modulation below $\sim$1 GeV with a chance probability ($p$) monotonically decreasing with time to $p\sim 10^{-5}$. The peak of the light curve is near the superior conjunction of the pulsar (binary phase $ϕ_{\rm B}\approx 0.25$). We attribute the modulation to the intra-binary shock (IBS) emission and search for IBS signatures in the archival X-ray data. We find that the X-ray spectral fit r…
The 559 Hz black-widow pulsar PSR J1555-2908, originally discovered in radio, is also a bright gamma-ray pulsar. Timing its pulsations using 12 yr of Fermi-LAT gamma-ray data reveals long-term variations in its spin frequency that are much larger than is observed from other millisecond pulsars. While this variability in the pulsar rotation rate could be intrinsic "timing noise", here we consider an alternative explanation: the variations arise from the presence of a very-low-mass third object in a wide multi-year orbit around the neutron star and its low-mass companion. With current data, this…
Considering about seven years of Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) data, we present a systematic search for variability possibly related to transitions between states in redbacks and black widow systems. Transitions are characterized by sudden and significant changes in the gamma-ray flux that persist on a timescale much larger than the orbital period. This phenomenology was already detected in the case of two redback systems, PSR J1023+0038 and PSR J1227-4853, for which we present here a dedicated study. We show the existence of only one transition for each of these systems over the past seven…
We report the discovery of pulsed γ-ray emission and X-ray emission from the black widow millisecond pulsar PSR J2051-0827 by using the data from the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer array (ACIS-S) on the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Using 3 years of LAT data, PSR J2051-0827 is clearly detected in γ-ray with a signicance of \sim 8σ in the 0.2 - 20 GeV band. The 200 MeV - 20 GeV γ-ray spectrum of PSR J2051-0827 can be modeled by a simple power- law with a photon index of 2.46 \pm 0.15. Significant (\sim 5σ) γ-ray pul…
We report the optical identification of the companion to the {\it Fermi} black widow millisecond pulsar PSR J1544+4937. We find a highly variable source on Keck LRIS images at the nominal pulsar position, with 2 magnitude variations over orbital period in the B, g, R, and I bands. The nearly achromatic light curves are difficult to explain with a simply irradiated hemisphere model, and suggest that the optical emission is dominated by a nearly isothermal hot patch on the surface of the companion facing the pulsar. We roughly constrain the distance to PSR J1544+4937 to be between 2 and 5 kpc. A…
We describe the first X-ray observations of five short orbital period ($P_B < 1$ day), $γ$-ray emitting, binary millisecond pulsars. Four of these, PSRs J0023+0923, J1124$-$3653, J1810+1744, and J2256$-$1024 are `black-widow' pulsars, with degenerate companions of mass $\ll0.1 M_{\odot}$, three of which exhibit radio eclipses. The fifth source, PSR J2215+5135, is an eclipsing `redback' with a near Roche-lobe filling $\sim$0.2 solar mass non-degenerate companion. Data were taken using the \textit{Chandra X-Ray Observatory} and covered a full binary orbit for each pulsar. Two pulsars, PSRs J2215…
We study the timing stability of three black widow pulsars, both in terms of their long-term spin evolution and their shorter-term orbital stability. The erratic timing behaviour and radio eclipses of the first two black widow pulsar systems discovered (PSRs B1957+20 and J2051$-$0827) was assumed to be representative for this class of pulsars. With several new black widow systems added to this population in the last decade, there are now several systems known that do not show these typical orbital variations or radio eclipses. We present timing solutions using 7$-$8 yrs of observations from fo…
We present the first measurement of a non-zero magnetic field in the eclipsing material of a black widow pulsar. Black widows are millisecond pulsars which are ablating their companions; therefore they are often proposed as one potential source of isolated millisecond pulsars. PSR J2256-1024 is an eclipsing black widow discovered at radio wavelengths and later also observed in the X-ray and gamma parts of the spectrum. Here we present the radio timing solution for PSR J2256-1024, polarization profiles at 350, 820, and 1500~MHz and an investigation of changes in the polarization profile due to …
We present optical time-resolved multi-band photometry of the black widow binary millisecond pulsar J2052+1219 using direct-imaging observations with the 2.1m telescope of Observatorio Astronomico Nacional San Pedro Martir, Mexico (OAN-SPM). The observations revealed a variable optical source whose position and periodicity P = 2.752h coincide with the pulsar coordinates and the orbital period obtained from radio timing. This allowed us to identify it with the binary companion of the pulsar. We reproduce light curves of the source modelling the companion heating by the pulsar and accounting for…
In this paper we report on $\sim10$ years of observations of PSR J2051$-$0827, at radio frequencies in the range 110--4032 MHz. We investigate the eclipse phenomena of this black widow pulsar using model fits of increased dispersion and scattering of the pulsed radio emission as it traverses the eclipse medium. These model fits reveal variability in dispersion features on timescales as short as the orbital period, and previously unknown trends on timescales of months--years. No clear patterns are found between the low-frequency eclipse widths, orbital period variations and trends in the intra-…
Time-domain analysis of an archival XMM-Newton observation unveiled a very unusual variability pattern in the soft X-ray emission of PSR J1311-3430, a black widow millisecond pulsar in a tight binary (P_B=93.8 min) with a very low-mass (M~0.01 Msun) He companion star, known to show flaring emission in the optical and in the X-rays. A series of six pulses with a regular recurrence time of ~124 min is apparent in the 0.2-10 keV light curve of the system, also featuring an initial, bright flare and a quiescent phase lasting several hours. The X-ray spectrum does not change when the pulses are see…
We report on an {unusually} bright observation of PSR J1720$-$0533 using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST). The pulsar is in a black widow system that {was discovered by the Commensal Radio Astronomy FAST Survey (CRAFTS). By coincidence, a bright scintillation maximum was simultaneous with the eclipse in our observation which allowed for precise measurements of flux density variations, as well as dispersion measure (DM) and polarization.} We found that there are quasi-periodic pulse emission variations with a modulation period of $\sim$ {22\,s} during the ingress…
We describe the first X-ray observations of binary millisecond pulsars PSRs J0023+0923, J1810+1744, J2215+5135, and J2256-1024. All four are Fermi gamma-ray sources and three are 'black-widow' pulsars, with companions of mass < 0.1 solar masses. Data were taken using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and covered a full binary orbit for each pulsar. Two pulsars, PSRs J2215+5135 and J2256-1024, show significant orbital variability and X-ray flux minima at the times of eclipses observed at radio wavelengths. This phenomenon is consistent with intrabinary shock emission characteristic of black-widow p…
The most massive neutron stars constrain the behavior of ultra-dense matter, with larger masses possible only for increasingly stiff equations of state. Here, we present evidence that the black widow pulsar, PSR B1957+20, has a high mass. We took spectra of its strongly irradiated companion and found an observed radial-velocity amplitude of K_obs=324+/-3 km/s. Correcting this for the fact that, due to the irradiation, the center of light lies inward relative to the center of mass, we infer a true radial-velocity amplitude of K_2=353+/-4 km/s and a mass ratio q=M_PSR/M_2=69.2+/-0.8. Combined wi…
We report on the determination of the astrometric, spin and orbital parameters for PSR J1953+1846A, a "black widow" binary millisecond pulsar in the globular cluster M71. By using the accurate position and orbital parameters obtained from radio timing, we identified the optical companion in ACS/Hubble Space Telescope images. It turns out to be a faint (m_F606W>=24, m_F814W>=23) and variable star located at only ~0.06" from the pulsar timing position. The light curve shows a maximum at the pulsar inferior conjunction and a minimum at the pulsar superior conjunction, thus confirming the associat…
Accurate measurements of the masses of neutron stars are necessary to test binary evolution models, and to constrain the neutron star equation of state. In pulsar binaries with no measurable post-Keplerian parameters, this requires an accurate estimate of the binary system's inclination and the radial velocity of the companion star by other means than pulsar timing. In this paper, we present the results of a new method for measuring this radial velocity using the binary synthesis code Icarus. This method relies on constructing a model spectrum of a tidally distorted, irradiated star as viewed …
We report on radio timing observations of the black widow binary pulsar J0610$-$2100 and optical observations of its binary companion. The radio timing observations extend the timing baseline to 16yr and reveal a marginal detection of the orbital period derivative, but they show no significant evidence of orbital variations such as those seen in other black widow pulsars. Furthermore, no eclipses are seen in the observations at observing frequencies ranging from 310 to 2700MHz. The optical VRI light curves were modulated with the orbital period, reaching maximum brightness of $V=26.8$, $R=25.4…
We report the discovery of two Black Widow millisecond pulsars in the globular cluster M28 with the MeerKAT telescope. PSR J1824$-$2452M (M28M) is a 4.78-ms pulsar in a $5.82\,$hour orbit and PSR J1824$-$2452N (M28N) is a 3.35-ms pulsar in a $4.76\,$hour orbit. Both pulsars have dispersion measures near $119.30\,$pc$\,$cm$^{-3}$ and have low mass companion stars ($\sim$$0.01-0.03\,$M$_\odot$), which do not cause strong radio eclipses or orbital variations. Including these systems, there are now five known black widow pulsars in M28. The pulsar searches were conducted as a part of an initial ph…
The GMRT High-Resolution Southern Sky Survey for pulsars and transients -- VII: Timing of Spider MSP J1242-4712, A Bridge Between Redback and Black Widow Pulsars
Black widows are extreme millisecond pulsar binaries where the pulsar wind ablates their low-mass companion stars. Their optical light curves vary periodically due to the high irradiation and tidal distortion of the companion, which allows us to infer the binary parameters. We present simultaneous multi-band observations obtained with the HIPERCAM instrument at the 10.4-m GTC telescope for six of these systems. The combination of this five-band fast photometer with the world's largest optical telescope enables us to inspect the light curve range near minima. We present the first light curve fo…
We present the first measurement of the gravitational quadrupole moment of the companion star of a spider pulsar, namely the black widow PSR J2051$-$0827. To this end we have re-analysed radio timing data using a new model which is able to account for periastron precession caused by tidal and centrifugal deformations of the star as well as by general relativity. The model allows for a time-varying component of the quadrupole moment, thus self-consistently accounting for the ill-understood orbital period variations observed in these systems. Our analysis results in the first detection of orbita…
Using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) we performed deep observations to search for radio pulsations in the directions of unidentified Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) gamma-ray sources. We report the discovery of an eclipsing black-widow millisecond pulsar, PSR J1544+4937, identified with the un-cataloged gamma-ray source Fermi J1544.2+4941. This 2.16 ms pulsar is in a 2.9 hours compact circular orbit with a very low-mass companion (Mc > 0.017 Msun). At 322 MHz this pulsar is found to be eclipsing for 13% of its orbit, whereas at 607 MHz the pulsar is detected throughout the low-fre…
PSR J2032+4127 has recently been identified as being in a long period (45-50 years) binary in a highly eccentric orbit with the Be star MT91 213. Periastron is due to occur in November 2017 and this rare occurrence has prompted a multiwavelength monitoring campaign to determine if the system is a gamma-ray binary, and, if so, to study what would be only the second gamma-ray binary with a known compact object. In the same direction as TeV J2032+4130, gamma-ray emission from this binary system could be related to the extended very high energy gamma-ray emission from that region. As part of this …
Using high-quality Hubble Space Telescope observations, we construct the near infra-red (NIR) to far ultra-violet (FUV) spectral energy distribution (SED) of PSR B0656+14. The SED is non-monotonic. Fitting it with a simple combination of a Rayleigh-Jeans spectrum (UV) and non-thermal power-law (optical/NIR) leaves significant residuals, strongly hinting at one or more spectral features. We consider various models (combination of continuum components, and absorption/emission lines) with possible interpretations, and place them in the context of the broader spectral energy distribution. Surprisi…
We present the results of detailed X-ray analysis of two black-widow pulsars (BWPs), J1446-4701 and J1311-3430. PSR J1446-4701 is a BWP with orbital parameters near the median values of the sample of known BWPs. Its X-ray emission detected by $XMM-Newton$ is well characterized by a soft power-law (PL) spectrum (photon index $Γ\approx 3$), and it shows no significant orbital modulations. In view of a lack of radio eclipses and an optical non-detection, the system most likely has a low orbital inclination. PSR J1311-3430 is an extreme BWP with a very compact orbit and the lowest minimum mass com…
We report on evidence for orbital phase-dependence of the gamma-ray emission from PSR B1957+20 black widow system by using the data of the Fermi Large Area Telescope. We divide an orbital cycle into two regions: a region containing the inferior conjunction, and the other region containing rest of the orbital cycle. We show that the observed spectra for the different orbital regions are fitted by different functional forms. The spectrum of the orbital region containing inferior conjunction can be described by a power-law with an exponential cutoff (PLE) model, which gives the best-fit model for…
We report on a series of spectroscopic observations of PSR J1311-3430, an extreme black-widow gamma-ray pulsar with a helium-star companion. In a previous study we estimated the neutron star mass as M_NS= 2.68+/-0.14M_Sun (statistical error), based on limited spectroscopy and a basic (direct heating) light curve model; however, much larger model-dependent systematics dominate the mass uncertainty. Our new spectroscopy reveals a range of complex source behavior. The variable He I companion wind emission lines can dominate broad-band photometry, especially in red filters or near minimum brightne…
We report on the timing observations of the millisecond pulsar PSR J2055+3829 originally discovered as part of the SPAN512 survey conducted with the Nançay Radio Telescope. The pulsar has a rotational period of 2.089 ms, and is in a tight 3.1 hr orbit around a very low mass ($0.023 \leq m_c \lesssim 0.053$ M$_\odot$, 90\% c.l.) companion. Our 1.4 GHz observations reveal the presence of eclipses of the pulsar's radio signal caused by the outflow of material from the companion, for a few minutes around superior conjunction of the pulsar. The very low companion mass, the observation of radio ecli…
In this paper, we report a detailed investigation of the multiwavelength properties of a newly detected gamma-ray pulsar, PSR J2021+4026, in both observational and theoretical aspects. We firstly identify an X-ray source in the XMM-Newton serendipitous source catalogue, 2XMM J202131.0+402645, located within the 95% confidence circle of PSR J2021+4026. With an archival Chandra observation, this identification provides an X-ray position with arcsecond accuracy which is helpful in facilitating further investigations. Searching for the pulsed radio emission at the position of 2XMM J202131.0+402645…
PSR J0636+5128 is a millisecond pulsar in one of the most compact pulsar binaries known, with a 96\,min orbital period. The pulsar mass function suggests a very low-mass companion, similar to that seen in so-called "black widow" binaries. Unlike in most of those, however, no radio eclipses by material driven off from the companion were seen leading to the possibility that the companion was a degenerate remnant of a carbon-oxygen white dwarf. We report the discovery of the optical counterpart of its companion in images taken with the Gemini North and Keck~I telescopes. The companion varies betw…
We describe Keck-telescope spectrophotometry and imaging of the companion of the ``black widow" pulsar PSR~J0952$-$0607, the fastest known spinning neutron star (NS) in the disk of the Milky Way. The companion is very faint at minimum brightness, presenting observational challenges, but we have measured multicolor light curves and obtained radial velocities over the illuminated ``day" half of the orbit. The model fits indicate system inclination $i=59.8\pm 1.9^\circ$ and a pulsar mass $M_{NS} = 2.35\pm 0.17 M_\odot$, the largest well-measured mass found to date. Modeling uncertainties are smal…
Timing results for the black-widow pulsar J2051-0827 are presented, using a 21-year dataset from four European Pulsar Timing Array telescopes and the Parkes radio telescope. This dataset, which is the longest published to date for a black-widow system, allows for an improved analysis that addresses previously unknown biases. While secular variations, as identified in previous analyses, are recovered, short-term variations are detected for the first time. Concurrently, a significant decrease of approx. 2.5x10-3 cm-3 pc in the dispersion measure associated with PSR J2051-0827 is measured for the…
In a multi-orbit (100 ks) $\mathrm{\it XMM-Newton}$ exposure of the original black widow pulsar, PSR J1959+2048, we measure the strong orbital modulation caused by intrabinary shock (IBS) emission. The IBS light curve peak appears asymmetric, which we attribute to sweep-back effects in the companion wind. We also see evidence for an X-ray eclipse by the companion and its wind. Together with the IBS fit, this supports an edge-on $i\sim 90^\circ$ view of the system and a modest $\sim 1.8M_\odot$ mass for the recycled pulsar. Our IBS fit parameters imply a wind flux that, if persistent, would eva…
The low mass companions of evaporating binary pulsars (black widows and their ilk) are strongly heated on the side facing the pulsar. However in high-quality photometric and spectroscopic data the heating pattern does not match that expected for direct pulsar illumination. Here we explore heating mediated by an intra-binary shock (IBS). We develop a simple analytic model and implement it in the popular `ICARUS' light curve code. The model is parameterized by the wind momentum ratio beta and velocity v_Rel v_orb and assumes that the reprocessed pulsar wind emits prompt particles or radiation to…
We consider the evolution of millisecond radio pulsars in binary systems with a main-sequence or evolved stellar companion. Evolution of non-accreting binary systems with "eclipsing" milisecond pulsars was described by Kluźniak, Czerny & Ray (1992) who predicted that systems like the one containing the Terzan 5 PSR 1744-24A will in the future become accreting low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs), while PSR 1957+20 may evaporate its companion. The model presented in the current paper gives similar results for these two objects and allows to obtain diverse evolutionary tracks of millisecond pulsars w…
We report the discovery of the first radio pulsar associated with NGC 6712, an eclipsing black widow (BW) pulsar, J1853$-$0842A, found by high-sensitivity searches using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope. This 2.15 ms pulsar is in a 3.56 hr compact circular orbit with a very low mass companion likely of mass 0.018 to 0.036 $M_{\rm \odot}$ and exhibits eclipsing of the pulsar signal. Though the distance to PSR J1853$-$0842A predicted from its dispersion measure ($155.125 \pm 0.004$ cm$^{-3}$ pc) and Galactic free electron density models are about 30\% smaller than that o…
We report the detection of pulsed gamma-ray emission from the fast millisecond pulsars (MSPs) B1937+21 (also known as J1939+2134) and B1957+20 (J1959+2048) using 18 months of survey data recorded by the \emph{Fermi} Large Area Telescope (LAT) and timing solutions based on radio observations conducted at the Westerbork and Nançay radio telescopes. In addition, we analyzed archival \emph{RXTE} and \emph{XMM-Newton} X-ray data for the two MSPs, confirming the X-ray emission properties of PSR B1937+21 and finding evidence ($\sim 4σ$) for pulsed emission from PSR B1957+20 for the first time. In bot…
We collect new and archival optical observations of nine "black-widow" millisecond pulsar binaries. New measurements include direct imaging with the Keck, Gemini-S, MDM, and LCO 2~m telescopes. This is supplemented by synthesized colors from Keck long-slit spectra. Four black-widow optical companions are presented here for the first time. Together these data provide multicolor photometry covering a large fraction of the orbital phase. We fit these light curves with a direct (photon) heating model using a version of the ICARUS light-curve modeling code. The fits provide distance and fill-factor…
The radio and gamma-ray pulsar PSR J2032+4127 was recently found to be in a decades-long orbit with the Be star MT91 213, with the pulsar moving rapidly towards periastron. This binary shares many similar characteristics with the previously unique binary system PSR B1259-63/LS 2883. Here, we describe radio, X-ray, and optical monitoring of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213. Our extended orbital phase coverage in radio, supplemented with Fermi gamma-ray data, allows us to update and refine the orbital period to 45-50 yr and time of periastron passage to 2017 November. We analyse archival and recent Chand…
We have studied the variability of the black-widow type binary millisecond pulsar PSR J1311$-$3430 from optical to gamma-ray energies. We confirm evidence for orbital modulation in the weak off-pulse $\ge$200-MeV emission, with a peak at $ϕ_B\approx 0.8$, following pulsar inferior conjunction. The peak has a relatively hard spectrum, extending above $\sim 1$\,GeV. XMM-Newton and Swift UV observations also show that this source's strong X-ray flaring activity is associated with optical/UV flares. With a duty cycle $\sim 7-19$%, this flaring is quite prominent with an apparent power-law intensit…
We present a multi-band search for X-ray, optical and $γ$-ray emission of the radio binary millisecond pulsar J1836-2354A, hosted in the globular cluster M22. X-ray emission is significantly detected in two Chandra observations, performed in 2005 and 2014, at a luminosity of $\sim$2-3$\times$10$^{30}$ erg s$^{-1}$, in the 0.5-8 keV energy range. The radio and the X-ray source positions are found consistent within 1$σ$ error box. No detection is found in archival XMM-Newton and Swift/XRT observations, compatible with the Chandra flux level. The low statistics prevents us to assess if the X-ray …
We have obtained initial spectroscopic observations and additional photometry of the newly discovered Pb=94min gamma-ray black-widow pulsar PSR J1311-3430. The Keck spectra show a He-dominated, nearly H-free photosphere and a large radial-velocity amplitude of 609.5+/-7.5km/s. Simultaneous seven-color GROND photometry further probes the heating of this companion, and shows the presence of a flaring infrared excess. We have modeled the quiescent light curve, constraining the orbital inclination and masses. Simple heated light-curve fits give M_NS=2.7Msun, but show systematic light-curve differe…
Over a dozen millisecond pulsars are ablating low-mass companions in close binary systems. In the original "black widow", the 8-hour orbital period eclipsing pulsar PSR J1959+2048 (PSR B1957+20), high energy emission originating from the pulsar is irradiating and may eventually destroy a low-mass companion. These systems are not only physical laboratories that reveal the dramatic result of exposing a close companion star to the relativistic energy output of a pulsar, but are also believed to harbour some of the most massive neutron stars, allowing for robust tests of the neutron star equation …
We present the results of processing an additional 44% of the High Time Resolution Universe South Low Latitude (HTRU-S LowLat) pulsar survey, the most sensitive blind pulsar survey of the southern Galactic plane to date. Our partially-coherent segmented acceleration search pipeline is designed to enable the discovery of pulsars in short, highly-accelerated orbits, while our 72-min integration lengths will allow us to discover pulsars at the lower end of the pulsar luminosity distribution. We report the discovery of 40 pulsars, including three millisecond pulsar-white dwarf binary systems (PSRs…
Using the 1.3m and 2.4m telescopes of the MDM Observatory, we identified the close companions of two eclipsing millisecond radio pulsars discovered by the Green Bank Telescope in searches of Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope sources, and measured their light curves. PSR J1301+0833 is a black widow pulsar in a 6.5 hr orbit whose companion star is strongly heated on the side facing the pulsar. It varies from R = 21.8 to R > 24 around the orbit. PSR J1628-3205 is a "redback," a nearly Roche-lobe filling system in a 5.0 hr orbit whose optical modulation in the range 19.0 < R < 19.4 is dominated by s…
Binary systems composed of a recycled millisecond pulsar and a stellar companion in close orbit could be excellent sites to diagnose pulsar winds. In such systems, the pulsar outflow irradiates and heats up the companion atmosphere, which can lead to the observation of strong day/night modulations in temperature. We demonstrate with particle shower simulations that the particle energy of the wind affects the heating depth in the atmosphere: the wind heat can be deposited above or below the photosphere, leading to different signatures in the observed spectra. We apply our method to four specifi…
