SPIN EQUILIBRIUM WITH OR WITHOUT GRAVITATIONAL WAVE EMISSION: THE CASE OF XTE J1814-338 AND SAX J1808.4-3658

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/738/1/L14· OSTI ID:21562441

Haskell, B; Patruno, A ^[1]

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1. Astronomical Institute 'Anton Pannekoek', University of Amsterdam, Postbus 94249, 1090 GE Amsterdam (Netherlands)

In this Letter we present a new analysis of the torques acting on the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars SAX J1808.4-3658 and XTE J1814-338, and show how our results can be used to constrain theoretical models of the spin evolution. In particular, we find upper limits on any spin-up/down phase of XTE J1814-338 of |{nu}-dot| < or approx. 1.5x10{sup -14} Hzs{sup -1} at 95% confidence level. We examine the possibility that a gravitational wave torque may be acting in these systems and suggest that a more likely scenario is that both systems are close to spin equilibrium, as set by the disk/magnetosphere interaction.

• OSTI ID: 21562441
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 738, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/738/1/L14; ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
EMISSION
EQUILIBRIUM
EVOLUTION
GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
PULSARS
SPIN
TORQUE
X RADIATION
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
PARTICLE PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS