A MODEL OF WHITE DWARF PULSAR AR SCORPII

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8205/831/1/L10· OSTI ID:22654166

Geng, Jin-Jun; Huang, Yong-Feng ^[1]; Zhang, Bing ^[2]

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1. School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046 (China)
2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nevada Las Vegas, NV 89154 (United States)

A 3.56 hr white dwarf (WD)–M dwarf (MD) close binary system, AR Scorpii, was recently reported to show pulsating emission in radio, IR, optical, and UV, with a 1.97 minute period, which suggests the existence of a WD with a rotation period of 1.95 minutes. We propose a model to explain the temporal and spectral characteristics of the system. The WD is a nearly perpendicular rotator, with both open field line beams sweeping the MD stellar wind periodically. A bow shock propagating into the stellar wind accelerates electrons in the wind. Synchrotron radiation of these shocked electrons can naturally account for the broadband (from radio to X-rays) spectral energy distribution of the system.

• OSTI ID: 22654166
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 831, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
ELECTRONS
EMISSION
ENERGY SPECTRA
PERIODICITY
PULSARS
ROTATION
SHOCK WAVES
STELLAR WINDS
SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
WHITE DWARF STARS
X RADIATION