Eclipsing millisecond pulsar - Excitation of the companion wind

Journal Article · Sat Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/167296· OSTI ID:5629510

Cheng, A F

The 1957 + 20 system is a millisecond pulsar in an eclipsing binary. Even if the companion filled its Roche lobe, it could not explain the observed eclipse duration. It has been proposed that the pulsar evaporates a plasma wind from the companion to cause the eclipse and that the companion will eventually be destroyed. This paper presents a model for pulsar evaporation of a wind from a close binary companion. The wind solution is specified by the critical point behavior at the sonic point transition. The lifetime of the 1957 + 20 companion against evaporation is typically less than 3 x 10 to the 8th yr. The incident pulsar radiation that drives the wind is constrained to have penetration depths about 0.008-1 g/sq cm. Observable changes in orbital parameters are expected and may result mainly from mass loss of the companion. 17 refs.

• Research Organization: Johns Hopkins Univ., Laurel, MD (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5629510
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 339; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BINARY STARS
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
DWARF STARS
ECLIPSE
EVAPORATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
ORBITS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PULSARS
ROCHE EQUIPOTENTIALS
STAR MODELS
STARS
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR WINDS