DISCOVERY OF AN UNIDENTIFIED FERMI OBJECT AS A BLACK WIDOW-LIKE MILLISECOND PULSAR
- Institute of Astronomy and Department of Physics, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China)
- Department of Physics, University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
- Department of Physics, Tokyo Institute of Technology 2-12-1, Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo, 152-8551 (Japan)
- National Research Council Research Associate, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC 20001 (United States)
- CRESST and Astroparticle Physics Laboratory NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)
- General Education Center, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan (China)
- Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-8555 (Japan)
The Fermi {gamma}-ray Space Telescope has revolutionized our knowledge of the {gamma}-ray pulsar population, leading to the discovery of almost 100 {gamma}-ray pulsars and dozens of {gamma}-ray millisecond pulsars (MSPs). Although the outer-gap model predicts different sites of emission for the radio and {gamma}-ray pulsars, until now all of the known {gamma}-ray MSPs have been visible in the radio. Here we report the discovery of a 'radio-quiet' {gamma}-ray-emitting MSP candidate by using Fermi, Chandra, Swift, and optical observations. The X-ray and {gamma}-ray properties of the source are consistent with known {gamma}-ray pulsars. We also found a 4.63 hr orbital period in optical and X-ray data. We suggest that the source is a black widow-like MSP with a {approx}0.1 M{sub Sun} late-type companion star. Based on the profile of the optical and X-ray light curves, the companion star is believed to be heated by the pulsar while the X-ray emissions originate from pulsar magnetosphere and/or from intrabinary shock. No radio detection of the source has been reported yet, and although no {gamma}-ray/radio pulsation has been found we estimate that the spin period of the MSP is {approx}3-5 ms based on the inferred {gamma}-ray luminosity.
- OSTI ID:
- 22048026
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 747, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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