THE DOUBLE PULSAR: EVIDENCE FOR NEUTRON STAR FORMATION WITHOUT AN IRON CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVA
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Alan Turing Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 (Canada)
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom)
- Department of Physics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505 (United States)
- Max-Planck-Institut fuer Radioastronomie, Auf dem Huegel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany)
- INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Loc. Poggio dei Pini, I-09012 Capoterra (Italy)
- Department of Physics, McGill University, Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, 3600 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2T8 (Canada)
The double pulsar system PSR J0737-3039A/B is a double neutron star binary, with a 2.4 hr orbital period, which has allowed measurement of relativistic orbital perturbations to high precision. The low mass of the second-formed neutron star, as well as the low system eccentricity and proper motion, point to a different evolutionary scenario compared to most other known double neutron star systems. We describe analysis of the pulse profile shape over 6 years of observations and present the resulting constraints on the system geometry. We find the recycled pulsar in this system, PSR J0737-3039A, to be a near-orthogonal rotator with an average separation between its spin and magnetic axes of 90 Degree-Sign {+-} 11 Degree-Sign {+-} 5 Degree-Sign . Furthermore, we find a mean 95% upper limit on the misalignment between its spin and orbital angular momentum axes of 3. Degree-Sign 2, assuming that the observed emission comes from both magnetic poles. This tight constraint lends credence to the idea that the supernova that formed the second pulsar was relatively symmetric, possibly involving electron capture onto an O-Ne-Mg core.
- OSTI ID:
- 22167373
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 767, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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