Where do the progenitors of millisecond pulsars come from?

Observations of a large population of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) show a wide divergence in the orbital periods (from approximately hours to a few months). In the standard view, low‐mass X‐ray binaries (LMXBs) are considered as progenitors for some MSPs during the recycling process. We present a systematic study that combines different types of compact objects in binaries such as cataclysmic variables (CVs), LMXBs, and MSPs. We plot them together in the so called Corbet diagram. Larger and different samples are needed to better constrain the result as a function of the environment and formations. A scale diagram showing the distribution of MSPs for different orbital periods and the aspects for their progenitors relying on accretion induced collapse (AIC) of white dwarfs in binaries. Thus massive CVs (M ≥ 1.1 M_⊙) can play a vital role on binary evolution, as well as of the physical processes involved in the formation and evolution of neutron stars and their magnetic fields, and could turn into binary MSPs with different scales of orbital periods; this effect can be explained by the AIC process. This scenario also suggests that some fraction of isolated MSPs in the Galactic disk could be formed through the same channel, forming the contribution of some CVs to the single‐degenerate progenitors of Type Ia supernova. Furthermore, we have refined the statistical distribution and evolution by using updated data. This implies that the significant studies of compact objects in binary systems can benefit from the Corbet diagram.Observations of a large population of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) show a wide divergence in the orbital periods (from approximately hours to a few months). In the standard view, low‐mass X‐ray binaries (LMXBs) are considered as progenitors for some MSPs during the recycling process. We present a systematic study that combines different types of compact objects in binaries such as cataclysmic variables (CVs), LMXBs, and MSPs. We plot them together in the so called Corbet diagram. Larger and different samples are needed to better constrain the result as a function of the environment and formations. A scale diagram showing the distribution of MSPs for different orbital periods and the aspects for their progenitors re     

Are the magnetic fields of millisecond pulsars ∼108 G?

It is generally assumed that the magnetic fields of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are ～10⁸ G. We argue that this may not be true and the fields may be appreciably greater. We present six evidences for this: (1) The ～10⁸G field estimate is based on magnetic dipole emission losses which is shown to be questionable; (2) The MSPs in low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) are claimed to have <10¹¹ G on the basis of a Rayleygh-Taylor instability accretion argument. We show that the accretion argument is questionable and the upper limit 10¹¹ G may be much higher; (3) Low magnetic field neutron stars have difficulty being produced in LMXBs; (4) MSPs may still be accreting indicating a much higher magnetic field; (5) The data that predict ～10⁸ G for MSPs also predict ages on the order of, and greater than, ten billion years, which is much greater than normal pulsars. If the predicted ages are wrong, most likely the predicted ～10⁸ G fields of MSPs are wrong; (6) When magnetic fields are measured directly with cyclotron lines in X-ray binaries, fields ?10⁸ G are indicated. Other scenarios should be investigated. One such scenario is the following. Over 85% of MSPs are confirmed members of a binary. It is possible that all MSPs are in large separation binaries having magnetic fields >10⁸ G with their magnetic dipole emission being balanced by low level accretion from their companions.     

The luminosity of γ-ray pulsars

We point out that in the polar cap model, the visible part is only part of the cap and this fact should be taken into account when calculating the pulsar luminosity. When this is done, the calculated luminosities are in basic agreement with the observed values. Based on our calculations we give a list of 12 possible γ-ray candidates.     

Possible discovery of threeγ-ray pulsars

The possible discovery of three-ray pulsars 0656 + 14, 0950 + 08, and 1822 - 09 based on COS-B data analysis is reported. Their light curves, the other related features, and the methods leading to these results are also given. Among these three pulsars, PSR 0656 + 14 is the most significant one for being a-ray pulsar.     

Reexamination of Possible Bimodality of GALLEX Solar-Neutrino Data

The histogram formed from published capture-rate measurements for the GALLEX solar-neutrino experiment is bimodal, showing two distinct peaks. However, the histogram formed from published measurements derived from the similar Gallium Neutrino Observatory (GNO) experiment is unimodal, showing only one peak. Nevertheless, the two experiments differ in run durations: GALLEX runs are either three weeks or four weeks (approximately) in duration, whereas GNO runs are all about four weeks in duration. When we form three-week and four-week subsets of the GALLEX data, we find that the relevant histograms are unimodal. The upper peak arises mainly from the three-week runs, and the lower peak from the four-week runs. The four-week subset of the GALLEX dataset is found to be similar to the GNO dataset. A recent re-analysis of GALLEX data leads to a unimodal histogram.     

Are stars with planets anomalous?

The chemical-dynamical properties of stars with giant planets are compared to those of a nearby star sample within the framework of a stellar orbital diffusion model. The stars-with-planets sample includes recently discovered extrasolar planets and the Sun. We find that the planet-bearing stars, 14 Her, ρ ¹ Cnc and τ Boo, are much more metal-rich than stars of similar age and this cannot be easily explained by orbital diffusion. We also confirm previous claims that the motion of the Sun relative to the local standard of rest is very small compared to other G dwarfs of similar age, and we offer a possible explanation for this apparent anomaly.     

Gamma-ray pulsars: polar cap or outer gap emission?

The power law spectra of the six known-ray pulsars are seen to cut off at energies < 1 TeV so that no steady pulsed TeV component is observed from any known-ray pulsar. In some cases we show that the cutoff is steeper than exponential, which is consistent with magnetic pair production above the polar cap region. The small upper limits on the ratio of TeV energy flux to optical - GeV energy flux is again consistent with the polar cap model, but appears to be inconsistent with inverse Compton controlled outer gaps.     

Identification of candidate millisecond pulsars from Fermi LAT observations Ⅱ

On the basis of the properties of known γ-ray millisecond pulsars(MSPs), we have selected 77un-associated sources from the Fermi Large Area Telescope(LAT) third source catalog for the purpose of finding likely candidate MSPs. Previously, detailed LAT data analysis for 39 of them was reported,and here we report the analysis for the remaining 38 sources. We identify that among the 38 sources, 28 of them are single point-like sources with clean background and their spectra show significant curvature.We also conduct an analysis of archival X-ray data available for 24 of the 28 sources. In the fields of10 sources, there is at least one X-ray object, and in those of the other 14 sources, no X-ray object is detected but this is probably due to the X-ray observations being short. We discuss the possible MSP nature for these sources. Six of them(J0514.6-4406, J1035.7-6720, J1624.2-4041, J1744.1-7619,J1946.4-5403 and J2039.6-5618) are most likely associated with pulsars because of multi-wavelength identifications including direct radio or γ-ray detection of pulsations. To firmly establish the associations or verify the MSP nature for other sources, deep X-ray and/or optical observations are needed.     

The existence of a ‘gap’ in the evolutionary sequence of pulsars

A replot of period derivative against period is done for about 300 pulsars, and the main features of the plot are discussed. The significance of a gap in this plot is reexamined and the existence of pulsars with nulling and subpulse drifting behaviour below this gap is pointed out. The implications of this for pulsar evolution are also discussed.     

The many faces of pulsars – the case of PSR B0833-45

A review of observational properties of the Vela pulsar across a wide energy spectrum is given. Then current approaches to the modelling of pulsars and their wind zones are briefly presented. The challenges posed to the models by the diversity of Vela’s light curves in different energy ranges are discussed.     

Can the known millisecond pulsars help in the detection of intermediate-mass black holes at the centers of globular clusters?

We consider the possibility of detecting intermediate-mass (10³–10⁴ M _⊙) black holes, whose existence at the centers of globular clusters is expected from optical and infrared observations, using precise pulse arrival timing for the millisecond pulsars in globular clusters known to date. For some of these pulsars closest to the cluster centers, we have calculated the expected delay times of pulses as they pass in the gravitational field of the central black hole. The detection of such a time delay by currently available instruments for the known pulsars is shown to be impossible at a black hole mass of 10³ M _⊙ and very problematic at a black hole mass of 10⁴ M _⊙. In addition, the signal delay will have a negligible effect on the pulsar periods and their first derivatives compared to the current accuracy of their measurements.     

Gravitomagnetism: a novel explanation of the precession of planets and binary pulsars

We continue former work on the modeling of potential effects of Gamma Ray Bursts on Phanerozoic Earth. We focus on global biospheric effects of ozone depletion and model the spectral reduction of light by NO₂ formed in the stratosphere. We also illustrate the current complexities involved in the prediction of how terrestrial ecosystems would respond to this kind of burst. We conclude that more biological field and laboratory data are needed to reach even moderate accuracy in this modeling.     

Search for pairs of isolated radio pulsars—Components in disrupted binary systems

We have developed a method for analyzing the kinematic association of isolated relativistic objects-possible remnants of disrupted close binary systems. We investigate pairs of fairly young radio pulsars with known proper motions and estimated distances (dispersion measures) that are spaced no more than 2–3 kpc apart. Using a specified radial velocity distribution for these objects, we have constructed 100–300 thousand trajectories of their possible motion in the Galactic gravitational field on a time scale of several million years. The probabilities of their close encounters at epochs consistent with the age of the younger pulsar in the pair are analyzed. When these probabilities exceed considerably their reference values obtained by assuming a purely random encounter between the pulsars under consideration, we conclude that the objects may have been gravitationally bound in the past. As a result, we have detected six pulsar pairs (J0543+2329/J0528+2200, J1453-6413/J1430-6623, J2354+6155/J2321+6024, J1915+1009/J1909+1102, J1832-0827/J1836-1008, and J1917+1353/J1926+1648) that are companions in disrupted binary systems with a high probability. Estimates of their kinematic ages and velocities at binary disruption and at the present epoch are provided.     

Analysis of Bimodality in Histograms Formed from GALLEX and GNO Solar Neutrino Data

A histogram display of the solar neutrino capture-rate measurements made by the GALLEX experiment appears to be bimodal, but that of the follow-on GNO experiment does not. To assess the significance of these results, we introduce a “bimodality index” based on the probability-transform procedure. This confirms that the GALLEX measurements are indeed bimodal (at the 99.98% confidence level) and that the GNO measurements are not. Tracking the bimodality index as a function of time shows that the strongest contribution to bimodality comes from runs 42 to 62 (i.e., from the time interval 1995.1 to 1996.9). The bimodality index for the first half (runs 1 through 33) is 2.56, whereas that for the second half (runs 33 through 65) is 7.05. A power-spectrum analysis shows a similar distinction: The peaks in the power spectrum formed from the second half are stronger than those in the power spectrum formed from the first half, suggesting that bimodality and rotational modulation are related.     

Searching for γ-ray emission from LOTAAS pulsars

The LOw-Frequency ARray(LOFAR)has recently conducted a survey(LOFAR Tied-Array Allsky Survey;LOTAAS)for pulsars in the Northern hemisphere that resulted in discoveries of 73 new pulsars.For the purpose of studying the properties of these pulsars,we search for theirγ-ray counterparts using the all-sky survey data obtained with the Large Area Telescope(LAT)onboard the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope(Fermi).We analyze the LAT data for 70 LOTAAS pulsars(excluding two millisecond pulsars and one with the longest known spin period of 23.5 s).We find one candidate counterpart to PSR J1017+30,which should be searched for theγ-ray pulsation signal once its timing solution is available.For other LOTAAS pulsars,we derive their 0.3-500 GeV flux upper limits.In order to compare the LOTAAS pulsars with the knownγ-ray pulsars,we also derive the 0.3-500 GeVγ-ray fluxes for 112 of the latter contained in the Fermi LAT fourth source catalog.Based on the properties of theγ-ray pulsars,we derive upper limits on the spin-down luminosities of the LOTAAS pulsars.The upper limits are not very constraining but help suggest that most of the LOTAAS pulsars probably have<10³³ erg s^-1 spin-down luminosities and are not expected to be detectable with Fermi LAT.     

‘Dead’ pulsars: Cosmic-ray sources

Dead pulsars outnumber live pulsars by a factor of 10⁴. It is estimated that there are 3×10⁹ of them in our Galaxy. The exospheres of the atmosphere of dead pulsars are characterised by cosmic-ray energies per particle, as the result of accretion of cold particles from interstellar space. Velocities of particles in the exosphere tend to be Maxwellianised by collisions there. The temperature of the exosphere from which particles escape is of the order of 10¹² K while the temperature of the photosphere closer to the surface of the pulsar is of the order of 10⁷ K. Collisions in the exosphere result in Jeans's type escape of cosmic rays with GeV energies at infinity. Two braod ranges of conditions for the exospheres are considered (a) with no magnetic fields involved, and (b) with magnetic fields. Similar conclusions are reached regarding the escape of cosmic rays. Conditions are delineated such that the exospheres of dead pulsars might be major sources of cosmic rays.Paper dedicated to Professor Hannes Alfvén on the occasion of his 80th birthday, 30 May 1988.     

Higher-order corrections to the relativistic perihelion advance and the mass of binary pulsars

We study the general relativistic orbital equation and using a straightforward perturbation method and a mathematical device first introduced by d’Alembert, we work out approximate expressions of a bound planetary orbit in the form of trigonometrical polynomials and the first three terms of the power series development of the perihelion advance. The results are applied to a more precise determination of the total mass of the double pulsar J0737-3039.     

Probing Milky Way’s hot gas halo density distribution using the dispersion measure of pulsars

A number of recent studies indicates a significant amount of ionized gas in a form of the hot gas halo around the Milky Way. The halo extends over the region of 100 kpc and may be acountable for the missing baryon mass. In this paper we calculate the contribution of the proposed halo to the dispersion measure (DM) of the pulsars. The Navarro, Frenk, and White (NFW), Maller and Bullock (MB), and Feldmann, Hooper, and Gnedin (FHG) density distibutions are considered for the gas halo. The data set includes pulsars with the distance known independently from the DM, e.g., pulsars in globular clusters, LMC, SMC and pulsars with known parallax. The results exclude the NFW distribution for the hot gas, while the more realisticMB and FHG models are compatible with the observed dispersion measure.     

Limiting polarization effect—a key link in investigating the mean profiles of radio pulsars

Using a well-known method for calculating the propagation of waves in an inhomogeneous medium, we have managed to reduce the problem of wave propagation in pulsar magnetospheres to a system of two ordinary differential equations that allow the polarization characteristics of the radio emission to be quantitatively described for any magnetic field structure and an arbitrary density profile of the outflowing plasma. We confirm that for ordinary pulsars (period P ∼ 1 s, magnetic field B ₀ ∼ 10¹² G, particle production multiplicity parameter λ ∼ 10⁴), the polarization is formed inside the light cylinder at a distance of the order of a thousand neutron star radii. For reasonable magnetic field strengths and plasma densities on the emission propagation path, the degree of circular polarization is found to be ∼5–20%, in good agreement with observations.     

10 years of RXTE monitoring of anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142+61: long-term variability

We report on 10 yr of monitoring of the 8.7-s Anomalous X-ray Pulsar 4U 0142+61 using the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). This pulsar exhibited stable rotation from 2000 until February 2006: the RMS phase residual for a spin-down model which includes ν, , and is 2.3%. We report a possible phase-coherent timing solution valid over a 10-yr span extending back to March 1996. A glitch may have occurred between 1998 and 2000, but it is not required by the existing data. We also report that the source’s pulse profile has been evolving in the past 6 years, such that the dip of emission between its two peaks has been getting shallower since 2000, almost as if the profile is recovering to its pre-2000 morphology, in which there was no clear distinction between the peaks. These profile variations are seen in the 2–4 keV band but not in 6–8 keV. Finally, we present the pulsed flux time series of the source in 2–10 keV. There is evidence of a slow but steady increase in the source’s pulsed flux since 2000. The pulsed flux variability and the narrow-band pulse profile changes present interesting challenges to aspects of the magnetar model. This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) PGSD scholarship to R.D. F.P.G. holds a National Research Council Research Associateship Award at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Additional support was provided by NSERC Discovery Grant Pgpin 228738-03 NSERC Steacie Supplement Smfsu 268264-03, FQRNT, CIAR, and CFI. V.M.K. is a Canada Research Chair.