A Population of Gamma-Ray Millisecond Pulsars Seen with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

Abdo, A. A.; Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Atwood, W. B.; Axelsson, M.; Baldini, Luca; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Baring, Matthew G.; Bastieri, D.; Baughman, B. M.; Bechtol, K.; Bellazzini, R.; Berenji, B.; Bignami, G. F.; Blandford, R. D.; Bloom, E. D.; Bonamente, E.; Borgland, A. W.; Bregeon, J.; Brez, A.; Brigida, M.; Bruel, Pascal; Burnett, T. H.; Caliandro, G. A.; Cameron, R. A.; Camilo, F.; Caraveo, P. A.; Carlson, P.; Casandjian, J. M.; Cecchi, C.; Çelik, Ö.; Charles, E.; Chekhtman, A.; Cheung, C. C.; Chiang, J.; Ciprini, S.; Claus, R.; Cognard, I.; Cohen-Tanugi, J.; Cominsky, L.; Conrad, J.; Corbet, R. H. D.; Cutini, S.; Dermer, C. D.; Desvignes, G.; Angelis, A. De; Luca, A. De; Palma, F. de; Digel, S. W.; Dormody, M.; Silva, E. Do Couto E; Drell, P. S.; Dubois, R.; Dumora, D.; Edmonds, Y.; Farnier, C.; Favuzzi, C.; Fegan, S. J.; Focke, W. B.; Frailis, M.; Freire, P. C. C.; Fukazawa, Yasushi; Funk, S.; Fusco, P.; Gargano, F.; Gasparrini, D.; Gehrels, N.; Germani, S.; Giebels, B.; Giglietto, N.; Giordano, F.; Glanzman, T.; Godfrey, G.; Grenier, I. A.; Grondin, M.-H.; Grove, J. E.; Guillemot, L.; Guiriec, S.; Hanabata, Y.; Harding, A. K.; Hayashida, M.; Hays, E.; Hobbs, G.; Hughes, R. E.; Jóhannesson, G.; Johnson, A. S.; Johnson, R. P.; Johnson, T. J.; Johnson, W. N.; Johnston, S.; Kamae, T.; Katagiri, H.; Kataoka, J.; Kawai, N.; Kerr, M.; Knödlseder, J.; Kocian, M.; Krämer, M.; Kuss, M.; Landé, J.; Latronico, L.; Lemoine‐Goumard, M.; Longo, F.; Loparco, F.; Lott, B.; Lovellette, M. N.; Lubrano, P.; Madejski, G. M.; Makeev, A.; Manchester, R. N.; Marelli, M.; Mazziotta, M. N.; McConville, W.; McEnery, J. E.; McLaughlin, M. A.; Meurer, C.; Michelson, P. F.; Mitthumsiri, W.; Mizuno, T.; Моисеев, А. А.; Monte, C.; Monzani, M. E.; Morselli, A.; Moskalenko, I. V.; Murgia, S.; Nolan, P. L.; Norris, J. P.; Nuss, E.; Ohsugi, T.; Omodei, N.; Orlando, E.; Ormes, J. F.; Paneque, D.; Panetta, J.; Parent, D.; Pelassa, V.; Pepé, M.; Pesce-Rollins, M.; Piron, F.; Porter, T. A.; Rainò, S.; Rando, R.; Ransom, S. M.; Ray, Paul S.; Razzano, M.; Rea, N.; Reimer, A.; Reposeur, T.; Ritz, S.; Rochester, Lynn; Rodriguez, A. Y.; Romani, Roger W.; Roth, M.; Ryde, F.; Sadrozinski, H. F-W.; Sánchez, David; Sander, A.; Parkinson, P. M. Saz; Scargle, Jeffrey D.; Schalk, T.; Sgrò, C.; Siskind, E. J.; Smith, David Stanley; Smith, P. D.; Spandre, G.; Spinelli, P.; Stappers, B. W.; Starck, Jean-Luc; Striani, E.; Strickman, M. S.; Suson, D. J.; Tajima, H.; Takahashi, H.; Tanaka, Takaaki; Thayer, J. B.; Theureau, G.; Thompson, D. J.; Thorsett, S. E.; Tibaldo, L.; Torres, D. F.; Tosti, G.; Tramacere, A.; Uchiyama, Y.; Usher, T.; Etten, A. van; Vasileiou, V.; Venter, C.; Vilchez, N.; Vitale, V.; Waite, A. P.; Wallace, E.; Wang, P.; Watters, K.; Webb, N.; Weltevrede, P.; Winer, B. L.; Wood, K. S.; Ylinen, T.; Ziegler, M.

doi:10.1126/science.1176113

Cited by 225 publications

(259 citation statements)

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“…Similar general features of the pulsed GeV γ-ray emission from the MSPs and classical pulsars (efficiencies and shape of the spectra) suggest that acceleration processes in the inner magnetospheres of these two classes of pulsars occur in similar way (Abdo et al 2009a(Abdo et al , 2013. Therefore, it is likely that binary systems containing MSPs also show modulated highenergy emission, as recently discovered in the case of TeV γ-ray binaries, such as those containing PSR B1259−63 (Abdo et al 2011;Aharonian et al 2005a) and maybe also LS 5039 (Abdo et al 2009b;Aharonian et al 2005b) and LSI 61 303 (Abdo et al 2009c;Albert et al 2006), provided that these two binary systems contain energetic pulsars as suggested by, e.g., Dubus (2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 52%

Modulated gamma-ray emission from compact millisecond pulsar binary systems

Bednarek¹

2014

A&A

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Context. A significant number of the millisecond pulsars (MSPs) have been discovered within binary systems. Tens of these MSPs emit γ-rays that are modulated with the pulsar period since this emission is produced in the inner pulsar magnetosphere. In several such binary systems, the masses of the companion stars have been derived allowing two classes of objects to be distinguished, which are called the black widow and the redback binaries. Pulsars in these binary systems are expected to produce winds that create conditions for acceleration of electrons, when colliding with stellar winds. These electrons should interact with the anisotropic radiation from the companion stars producing γ-ray emission modulated with the orbital period of the binary system, similar to what is observed in the massive TeV γ-ray binary systems. Aims. We consider the interaction of a MSP wind with a very inhomogeneous stellar wind from the companion star within binary systems of the black widow and redback types. Our aim is to determine the features of γ-ray emission produced in the collision region of the winds from a few typical MSP binary systems. Methods. It is expected that the pulsar wind should mix efficiently with the inhomogeneous stellar wind. The mixed winds move outside the binary with relatively low velocity. Electrons accelerated in such mixed, turbulent winds can interact with the magnetic field and strong radiation from the companion star, producing not only synchrotron radiation but also γ-rays in the inverse Compton process, fluxes of which are expected to be modulated on the periods of the binary systems. Applying numerical methods, we calculated the GeV-TeV gamma-ray spectra and the light curves expected from some MSP binary systems. Results. Gamma-ray emission, produced within the binary systems, is compared with the sensitivities of the present and future gamma-ray telescopes. It is concluded that energetic MSP binary systems create a new class of TeV γ-ray sources that could be detectable by the future Cherenkov arrays (e.g., CTA) and possibly also by the extensive campains with the present arrays (HESS, MAGIC, VERITAS). However, γ-ray emission from the MSP binary systems is predicted to have different features than those observed in the case of massive TeV gamma-ray binaries such as LS I 303 61 or LS 5039. The maximum in the TeV γ-ray orbital light curve should appear when the MSP is behind the companion star. This is in contrast to the observations of the orbital light curves from the massive TeV γ-ray binaries (LS I 303 61 or LS 5039). Moreover, the GeV and orbital TeV γ-ray light curves should be positively correlated unlike the case of massive TeV γ-ray binaries. Conclusions. We conclude that TeV γ-ray emission, modulated on the orbital period of MSP binary systems, should be detected by the future CTA. Moreover, some MSP binary systems of the Redback type might also show GeV γ-ray emission modulated on the binary periods on the level detectable by Fermi-LAT.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 52%

Modulated gamma-ray emission from compact millisecond pulsar binary systems

Bednarek¹

2014

A&A

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“…We find B PC = 3.3(4) × 10 8 f − 1 2 (θ) G. Adopting f (θ) = 2/3 (in line with what is assumed when deriving the magnetic field of radio pulsars), we find B PC = 4.0(4) × 10 8 G, which is quite reasonable for this kind of source. Hartman et al (2011) noted that the AMPs for which the secular spin-down was measured are suitable to be detected as γ-ray millisecond pulsars by the Fermi Large Area Telescope, since several millisecond radio pulsars with similar characteristics were detected (see Abdo et al 2009). The spin-down power, defined asĖ = 4π 2 Iωω, for this source isĖ = 0.9(2) × 10 35 I 45 erg s −1 .…”

Section: Magnetic Fieldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Secular spin-down of the AMP XTE J1751-305

Riggio¹,

Burderi²,

Salvo³

et al. 2011

A&A

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Context. Of the 13 known accreting millisecond pulsars, only a few have displayed more than one outburst during the RXTE era. After its main outburst in 2002, XTE J1751-305 showed an additional three dim outbursts. We report on the timing analysis of the latest one, which occurred on October 8, 2009 and was serendipitously observed from its very beginning by RXTE. Aims. By detecting the pulsation during more than one outburst, we derive a stronger constraint of the orbital parameters and their evolution, and we can track the secular spin frequency evolution of the source. Methods. Using the RXTE data of the last outburst of the AMP XTE J1751-305, we performed a timing analysis to more accurately constrain the orbital parameters. Because of the low quality of the data statistics, we applied an epoch-folding search technique to the whole data set to improve the local estimate of the time of ascending node passage. Results. Using this new orbital solution, we epoch-folded data obtaining three pulse phase delays over a time span of 1.2 days, that we fitted using a constant spin frequency model. Comparing this barycentric spin frequency with that of the 2002 outburst, we obtained a secular spin frequency derivative of −0.55(12) × 10 −14 Hz s −1 . We estimate the pulsar's magnetic dipole value by assuming that the secular spin-down is due to a rotating magneto dipole emission, to be consistent with what is assumed for radio pulsars. We derive an estimate of the magnetic field strength at the polar cap of B PC = 4.0(4) × 10 8 G, for a neutron star mass of 1.4 M , assuming the Friedman Pandharipande Skyrme equation of state.

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“…Perhaps even more surprising than the large number of young, radio-quiet pulsars discovered by the LAT was the detection of a large population of gamma-ray millisecond pulsars (MSPs) (Abdo et al 2009a), something which, though not entirely unforeseen(e.g., Harding et al 2005), has exceeded all expectations. Through the joint efforts of the LAT team and radio astronomers working at the major radio observatories around the world, the Fermi LAT Pulsar Search Consortium (PSC) has been carrying out extensive radio observations of newly discovered LAT gamma-ray pulsars, as well as carrying out new pulsar searches in LAT unassociated sources (Ray et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Classification and Ranking of Fermi Lat Gamma-Ray Sources From the 3fgl Catalog Using Machine Learning Techniques

Parkinson

et al. 2016

ApJ

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174

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We apply a number of statistical and machine learning techniques to classify and rank gamma-ray sources from the Third Fermi Large Area Telescope Source Catalog (3FGL), according to their likelihood of falling into the two major classes of gamma-ray emitters: pulsars (PSR) or active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Using 1904 3FGL sources that have been identified/associated with AGNs (1738) and PSR (166), we train (using 70% of our sample) and test (using 30%) our algorithms and find that the best overall accuracy (>96%) is obtained with the Random Forest (RF) technique, while using a logistic regression (LR) algorithm results in only marginally lower accuracy. We apply the same techniques on a subsample of 142 known gamma-ray pulsars to classify them into two major subcategories: young (YNG) and millisecond pulsars (MSP). Once more, the RF algorithm has the best overall accuracy (∼90%), while a boosted LR analysis comes a close second. We apply our two best models (RF and LR) to the entire 3FGL catalog, providing predictions on the likely nature of unassociated sources, including the likely type of pulsar (YNG or MSP). We also use our predictions to shed light on the possible nature of some gamma-ray sources with known associations (e.g., binaries, supernova remnants/pulsar wind nebulae). Finally, we provide a list of plausible X-ray counterparts for some pulsar candidates, obtained using Swift, Chandra, and XMM. The results of our study will be of interest both for in-depth follow-up searches (e.g., pulsar) at various wavelengths and for broader population studies.

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A Population of Gamma-Ray Millisecond Pulsars Seen with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

Cited by 225 publications

References 38 publications

Modulated gamma-ray emission from compact millisecond pulsar binary systems

Modulated gamma-ray emission from compact millisecond pulsar binary systems

Secular spin-down of the AMP XTE J1751-305

Classification and Ranking of Fermi Lat Gamma-Ray Sources From the 3fgl Catalog Using Machine Learning Techniques

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