Formation of Black Widows and Redbacks—two Distinct Populations of Eclipsing Binary Millisecond Pulsars

Chen, Hailiang; Chen, Xuefei; Tauris, T. M.; Han, Zhanwen

doi:10.1088/0004-637x/775/1/27

Cited by 165 publications

(221 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…The same holds for eclipsing RMSPs, that is, the so-called black widows and redbacks, (cf. Chen et al 2013, and references therein). In contrast, RMSPs originate in a wider sample of binaries, comprising both systems with low-mass (Tauris & Savonije 1999) and intermediate-mass (2-6 M ) companions (Tauris et al 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spin frequency distributions of binary millisecond pulsars

Papitto

Torres

Rea

et al. 2014

A&A

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Rotation-powered millisecond radio pulsars have been spun up to their present spin period by a 10 8 −10 9 yr long X-ray-bright phase of accretion of matter and angular momentum in a low-to-intermediate mass binary system. Recently, the discovery of transitional pulsars that alternate cyclically between accretion and rotation-powered states on time scales of a few years or shorter, has demonstrated this evolutionary scenario. Here, we present a thorough statistical analysis of the spin distributions of the various classes of millisecond pulsars to assess the evolution of their spin period between the different stages. Accreting sources that showed oscillations exclusively during thermonuclear type I X-ray bursts (nuclear-powered millisecond pulsars) are found to be significantly faster than rotationpowered sources, while accreting sources that possess a magnetosphere and show coherent pulsations (accreting millisecond pulsars) are not. On the other hand, if accreting millisecond pulsars and eclipsing rotation-powered millisecond pulsars form a common class of transitional pulsars, these are shown to have a spin distribution intermediate between the faster nuclear-powered millisecond pulsars and the slower non-eclipsing rotation-powered millisecond pulsars. We interpret these findings in terms of a spin-down due to the decreasing mass-accretion rate during the latest stages of the accretion phase, and in terms of the different orbital evolutionary channels mapped by the various classes of pulsars. We summarize possible instrumental selection effects, showing that even if an unbiased sample of pulsars is still lacking, their influence on the results of the presented analysis is reduced by recent improvements in instrumentation and searching techniques.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spin frequency distributions of binary millisecond pulsars

Papitto

Torres

Rea

et al. 2014

A&A

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“…These converging systems become hydrogen-rich UCXBs and are most likely the progenitor systems of the so-called black widow MSPs (e.g. Ergma et al 1998;Benvenuto et al 2012;Chen et al 2013). For our two hydrogen-rich systems with P orb,i = 3.25 days (red track) and P orb,i = 3.44 days (orange track), we find P min orb ≃ 35 min and 8 min, respectively.…”

Section: Ucxb Evolutionary Tracksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel modelling of ultracompact X-ray binary evolution – stable mass transfer from white dwarfs to neutron stars

Sengar

Tauris

Langer

et al. 2017

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters

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Tight binaries of helium white dwarfs (He WDs) orbiting millisecond pulsars (MSPs) will eventually "merge" due to gravitational damping of the orbit. The outcome has been predicted to be the production of long-lived ultra-compact X-ray binaries (UCXBs), in which the WD transfers material to the accreting neutron star (NS). Here we present complete numerical computations, for the first time, of such stable mass transfer from a He WD to a NS. We have calculated a number of complete binary stellar evolution tracks, starting from pre-LMXB systems, and evolved these to detached MSP+WD systems and further on to UCXBs. The minimum orbital period is found to be as short as 5.6 minutes. We followed the subsequent widening of the systems until the donor stars become planets with a mass of ∼ 0.005 M ⊙ after roughly a Hubble time. Our models are able to explain the properties of observed UCXBs with high helium abundances and we can identify these sources on the ascending or descending branch in a diagram displaying mass-transfer rate vs. orbital period.

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“…These companions are low-mass semi-degenerate stars with a mass between 0.02 − 0.3 M (Roberts 2013;Breton et al 2013). Whereas some studies clearly indicate that the two populations of black widows and redbacks are distinct (Chen et al 2013) others argue in favour of a continuous evolutionary link (Benvenuto et al 2014). This question is important to settle; as well as the long standing issue about whether they are the progenitors of the isolated MSPs (Ruderman et al 1989;Possenti 2013;Deloye & Bildsten 2003).…”

Section: Pulsar Recycling and Formation Of Exotic Binaries And Triplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the Neutron Star Population with the SKA

Tauris¹,

Kaspi²,

Breton³

et al. 2015

Proceedings of Advancing Astrophysics With the Square Kilometre Array — PoS(AASKA14)

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Since their discovery in the late 1960's the population of known neutron stars has grown to ∼2500. This sample has yielded many surprises and demonstrated that the observational properties of neutron stars are remarkably diverse. The surveys that will be performed with the SKA will produce a further tenfold increase in the number of Galactic neutron stars known. Moreover, the SKA's broad spectral coverage, sub-arraying and multi-beaming capabilities will allow us to characterise these sources with unprecedented efficiency, in turn enabling a giant leap in the understanding of their properties. We review the neutron star population and outline strategies for studying each of the growing number of diverse classes that are populating the "neutron star zoo". Questions that will be addressed by the much larger statistical samples and vastly improved timing efficiency provided by SKA include: (i) the spin period and spin-down rate distributions (and thus magnetic fields) at birth, and the associated information about the supernovae wherein they are formed; (ii) the radio pulsar-magnetar connection; (iii) the link between normal radio pulsars, intermittent pulsars and rotating radio transients; (iv) the slowest possible spin period for a radio pulsar (revealing the conditions at the pulsar death-line); (v) proper motions of pulsars (revealing supernova kick physics); (vi) the mass distribution of neutron stars; (vii) the fastest possible spin period for a recycled pulsar (constraining magnetosphere-accretion disc interactions, gravitational wave radiation and the equation-of-state); (viii) the origin of high eccentricity millisecond pulsars; (ix) the formation channels for recently identified triple systems; and finally (x) how isolated millisecond pulsars are formed. We can also expect that the first phase of the SKA (SKA1), and in particular the full SKA (SKA2), will break new ground unveiling exotic and heretofore unknown systems that will challenge our current knowledge and theories, thus fostering the development of new research areas. Some possibilities for future landmark discoveries representing significant milestones in the astrophysics of compact objects include: (i) sub-millisecond pulsars; (ii) neutron stars born as millisecond pulsars; (iii) neutron stars with masses below 1.1 or above 2.5 M ; (iv) neutron star-black hole binaries; and (v) a triple system containing a pair of neutron stars.Advancing Astrophysics with the Square Kilometre Array

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Formation of Black Widows and Redbacks—two Distinct Populations of Eclipsing Binary Millisecond Pulsars

Cited by 165 publications

References 58 publications

Spin frequency distributions of binary millisecond pulsars

Spin frequency distributions of binary millisecond pulsars

Novel modelling of ultracompact X-ray binary evolution – stable mass transfer from white dwarfs to neutron stars

Understanding the Neutron Star Population with the SKA

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