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Title: SPECTROSCOPY OF THE INNER COMPANION OF THE PULSAR PSR J0337+1715

Abstract

The hierarchical triple system PSR J0337+1715 offers an unprecedented laboratory to study secular evolution of interacting systems and to explore the complicated mass-transfer history that forms millisecond pulsars and helium-core white dwarfs. The latter in particular, however, requires knowledge of the properties of the individual components of the system. Here we present precise optical spectroscopy of the inner companion in the PSR J0337+1715 system. We confirm it as a hot, low-gravity DA white dwarf with T {sub eff} = 15, 800 ± 100 K and log{sub 10}(g) = 5.82 ± 0.05. We also measure an inner mass ratio of 0.1364 ± 0.0015, entirely consistent with that inferred from pulsar timing, and a systemic radial velocity of 29.7 ± 0.3 km s{sup –1}. Combined with the mass (0.19751 M {sub ☉}) determined from pulsar timing, our measurement of the surface gravity implies a radius of 0.091 ± 0.005 R {sub ☉}; combined further with the effective temperature and extinction, the photometry implies a distance of 1300 ± 80 pc. The high temperature of the companion is somewhat puzzling: with current models, it likely requires a recent period of unstable hydrogen burning, and suggests a surprisingly short lifetime for objects at this phase inmore » their evolution. We discuss the implications of these measurements in the context of understanding the PSR J0337+1715 system, as well as of low-mass white dwarfs in general.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]; ;  [6];  [7]
  1. Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1900 E. Kenwood Boulevard, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (United States)
  2. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 50 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H8 (Canada)
  3. Institut für Theoretische Physik und Astrophysik, University of Kiel, D-24098 Kiel (Germany)
  4. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1 (Canada)
  5. National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903-2475 (United States)
  6. ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, Postbus 2, 7990 AA Dwingeloo (Netherlands)
  7. Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University, White Hall, Box 6315, Morgantown, WV 26506-6315 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22363952
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 783; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 2041-8205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; FLUORINE 15; GRAVITATION; HELIUM; HYDROGEN BURNING; LIFETIME; MASS TRANSFER; NEUTRONS; PHOTOMETRY; PULSARS; RADIAL VELOCITY; STAR EVOLUTION; WHITE DWARF STARS

Citation Formats

Kaplan, David L., Van Kerkwijk, Marten H., Koester, Detlev, Stairs, Ingrid H., Ransom, Scott M., Archibald, Anne M., Hessels, Jason W. T., and Boyles, Jason. SPECTROSCOPY OF THE INNER COMPANION OF THE PULSAR PSR J0337+1715. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/783/1/L23.
Kaplan, David L., Van Kerkwijk, Marten H., Koester, Detlev, Stairs, Ingrid H., Ransom, Scott M., Archibald, Anne M., Hessels, Jason W. T., & Boyles, Jason. SPECTROSCOPY OF THE INNER COMPANION OF THE PULSAR PSR J0337+1715. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/783/1/L23
Kaplan, David L., Van Kerkwijk, Marten H., Koester, Detlev, Stairs, Ingrid H., Ransom, Scott M., Archibald, Anne M., Hessels, Jason W. T., and Boyles, Jason. 2014. "SPECTROSCOPY OF THE INNER COMPANION OF THE PULSAR PSR J0337+1715". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/783/1/L23.
@article{osti_22363952,
title = {SPECTROSCOPY OF THE INNER COMPANION OF THE PULSAR PSR J0337+1715},
author = {Kaplan, David L. and Van Kerkwijk, Marten H. and Koester, Detlev and Stairs, Ingrid H. and Ransom, Scott M. and Archibald, Anne M. and Hessels, Jason W. T. and Boyles, Jason},
abstractNote = {The hierarchical triple system PSR J0337+1715 offers an unprecedented laboratory to study secular evolution of interacting systems and to explore the complicated mass-transfer history that forms millisecond pulsars and helium-core white dwarfs. The latter in particular, however, requires knowledge of the properties of the individual components of the system. Here we present precise optical spectroscopy of the inner companion in the PSR J0337+1715 system. We confirm it as a hot, low-gravity DA white dwarf with T {sub eff} = 15, 800 ± 100 K and log{sub 10}(g) = 5.82 ± 0.05. We also measure an inner mass ratio of 0.1364 ± 0.0015, entirely consistent with that inferred from pulsar timing, and a systemic radial velocity of 29.7 ± 0.3 km s{sup –1}. Combined with the mass (0.19751 M {sub ☉}) determined from pulsar timing, our measurement of the surface gravity implies a radius of 0.091 ± 0.005 R {sub ☉}; combined further with the effective temperature and extinction, the photometry implies a distance of 1300 ± 80 pc. The high temperature of the companion is somewhat puzzling: with current models, it likely requires a recent period of unstable hydrogen burning, and suggests a surprisingly short lifetime for objects at this phase in their evolution. We discuss the implications of these measurements in the context of understanding the PSR J0337+1715 system, as well as of low-mass white dwarfs in general.},
doi = {10.1088/2041-8205/783/1/L23},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22363952}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal Letters},
issn = {2041-8205},
number = 1,
volume = 783,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}