A State Change In The Missing Link Binary Pulsar System Psr J1023+0038
Journal Article
·
· The Astrophysical Journal
- Univ. of Manchester (United Kingdom)
- Netherlands Inst. for Radio Astronomy, Dwingeloo (Netherlands)
- Netherlands Inst. for Radio Astronomy, Dwingeloo (Netherlands); Univ. of Amsterdam (Netherlands)
- Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States). Columbia Astrophysics Lab.
- McGill Univ., Montreal, QC (Canada)
- Netherlands Inst. for Radio Astronomy, Dwingeloo (Netherlands); Leiden Univ. (Netherlands)
- California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)
- SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); Univ. of Southampton (United Kingdom)
- SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
We present radio, X-ray, and γ-ray observations which reveal that the binary millisecond pulsar / low-mass X-ray binary transition system PSR J1023+0038 has undergone a transformation in state. Whereas until recently the system harbored a bright millisecond radio pulsar, the radio pulsations at frequencies between 300 to 5000MHz have now become undetectable. Concurrent with this radio disappearance, the γ-ray flux of the system has quintupled. We conclude that, though the radio pulsar is currently not detectable, the pulsar mechanism is still active and the pulsar wind, as well as a newly formed accretion disk, are together providing the necessary conditions to create the γ-ray increase. The system is the first example of a transient, compact, low-mass γ-ray binary and will continue to provide an exceptional test bed for better understanding the formation of millisecond pulsars as well as accretion onto neutron stars in general.
- Research Organization:
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-76SF00515
- OSTI ID:
- 1356464
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 22365593
- Journal Information:
- The Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: The Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 790; ISSN 0004-637X
- Publisher:
- Institute of Physics (IOP)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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