Populating the Galaxy with pulsars – I. Stellar and binary evolution

The computation of theoretical pulsar populations has been a major component of pulsar studies since the 1970s. However, the majority of pulsar population synthesis has only regarded isolated pulsar evolution. Those that have examined pulsar evolution within binary systems tend to either treat binary evolution poorly or evolve the pulsar population in an ad hoc manner. Thus, no complete and direct comparison with observations of the pulsar population within the Galactic disc has been possible to date. Described here is the first component of what will be a complete synthetic pulsar population survey code. This component is used to evolve both isolated and binary pulsars. Synthetic observational surveys can then be performed on this population for a variety of radio telescopes. The final tool used for completing this work will be a code comprised of three components: stellar/binary evolution, Galactic kinematics and survey selection effects. Results provided here support the need for further (apparent) pulsar magnetic field decay during accretion, while they conversely suggest the need for a re-evaluation of the assumed typical millisecond pulsar formation process. Results also focus on reproducing the observed     diagram for Galactic pulsars and how this precludes short time-scales for standard pulsar exponential magnetic field decay. Finally, comparisons of bulk pulsar population characteristics are made to observations displaying the predictive power of this code, while we also show that under standard binary evolutionary assumption binary pulsars may accrete much mass.     

How abundant is the population of binary radio pulsars with black holes?

Using a 'scenario machine' we have carried out a population synthesis of radio pulsars with black hole binaries (BH+Psr) in the context of the most widespread assumptions concerning star mass loss during evolution, the mass ratio distribution of binary stars, the kick velocity and the envelope mass loss during collapse. Our purpose is to show that under any plausible parameters for the evolution scenario, the BH+Psr population should be abundant in the Galaxy. It is shown that in all models (including those evolved by Heger et al. and Woosley, Heger & Weaver), the expected number of black holes paired with radio pulsars is sufficient for such systems to be discovered within the next few years.     

Pulsar spin–velocity alignment from single and binary neutron star progenitors

The role of binary progenitors of neutron stars (NSs) in the apparent distribution of space velocities and spin–velocity alignment observed in young pulsars is studied. We performed a Monte Carlo synthesis of pulsar populations originated from single and binary stars with different assumptions about the NS natal kick (kick–spin alignment, kick amplitude and kick reduction in electron-capture supernovae in binary progenitors with initial main-sequence masses from the range  8–11 M_⊙  which experienced mass exchange due to Roche lobe overflow). The calculated spin–velocity alignment in pulsars is compared with data inferred from radio polarization measurements. The observed space velocity of pulsars is found to be mostly affected by the natal kick velocity form and its amplitude; the fraction of binaries is not important here for reasonably large kicks. The natal kick–spin alignment is found to strongly affect the spin–velocity correlation of pulsars. Comparison with the observed pulsar spin–velocity angles favours a sizeable fraction of binary progenitors and kick–spin angles  ∼5°–20°  .     

Mass transfer in eccentric binary stars

The concept of Roche lobe overflow is fundamental to the theory of interacting binaries. Based on potential theory, it is dependent on all the relevant material corotating in a single frame of reference. Therefore if the mass losing star is asynchronous with the orbital motion or the orbit is eccentric, the simple theory no longer applies and no exact analytical treatment has been found. We use an analytic approximation whose predictions are largely justified by smoothed particle hydrodynamic simulations (SPH). We present SPH simulations of binary systems with the same semi-major axis   a = 5.55 R_⊙  , masses   M ₁= 1 M_⊙, M ₂= 2 M_⊙  and radius   R ₁= 0.89 R_⊙  for the primary star but with different eccentricities   e = 0.4, 0.5, 0.6  and 0.7. In each case the secondary star is treated as a point mass. When   e = 0.4  no mass is lost from the primary while at   e = 0.7  catastrophic mass transfer, partly through the L₂ point, takes place near periastron. This would probably lead to common-envelope evolution if star 1 were a giant or to coalescence for a main-sequence star. In between, at   e ≥ 0.5  , some mass is lost through the L₁ point from the primary close to periastron. However, rather than being all accreted by the secondary, some of the stream appears to leave the system. Our results indicate that the radius of the Roche lobe is similar to circular binaries when calculated for the separation and angular velocity at periastron. Part of the mass loss occurs through the L₂ point.     

Low- and intermediate-mass close binary evolution and the initial–final mass relation

Using Eggleton's stellar evolution code, we carry out 150 runs of Population I binary evolution calculations with the initial primary mass between 1 and 8 M_⊙, the initial mass ratio     between 1.1 and 4, and the onset of Roche lobe overflow (RLOF) at an early, middle or late Hertzsprung-gap stage. We assume that RLOF is conservative in the calculations, and find that the remnant mass of the primary may change by more than 40 per cent over the range of initial mass ratio or orbital period, for a given primary mass. This is contrary to the often-held belief that the remnant mass depends only on the progenitor mass if mass transfer begins in the Hertzsprung gap. We fit a formula, with an error less than 3.6 per cent, for the remnant (white dwarf) mass as a function of the initial mass M _1i of the primary, the initial mass ratio q _i and the radius of the primary at the onset of RLOF. We also find that a carbon–oxygen white dwarf with mass as low as 0.33 M_⊙ may be formed if the initial mass of the primary is around 2.5 M_⊙.     

IU Cancri:a solar-type contact binary with mass transfer

We present new CCD photometry of the solar-type contact binary IU Cnc, which was observed from November 2017 to March 2018 with three small telescopes in China. BV light curves imply that IU Cnc is a W-type contact binary with total eclipses. The photometric solution indicates that the mass ratio and fill-out factor are q = 4.104 ± 0.004 and f = 30.2%± 0.3%, respectively. From all available light minimum times, the orbital period may increase at a rate of dP/dt =+6.93(4)× 10^-7 d yr^-1, which may result from mass transfer from the secondary component to the primary one. With mass transferring,IU Cnc may evolve from a contact configuration into a semi-detached configuration.     

Magnetic and spin evolution of neutron stars in close binaries

The evolution of neutron stars in close binary systems with a low-mass companion is considered, assuming the magnetic field to be confined within the solid crust. We adopt the standard scenario for the evolution in a close binary system, in which the neutron star passes through four evolutionary phases ('isolated pulsar'–'propeller'– accretion from the wind of a companion – accretion resulting from Roche-lobe overflow). Calculations have been performed for a great variety of parameters characterizing the properties of both the neutron star and the low-mass companion. We find that neutron stars with more or less standard magnetic field and spin period that are processed in low-mass binaries can evolve to low-field rapidly rotating pulsars. Even if the main-sequence life of a companion is as long as 10¹⁰ yr, the neutron star can maintain a relatively strong magnetic field to the end of the accretion phase. The model that is considered can account well for the origin of millisecond pulsars.     

Mass transfer from a giant star to a main-sequence companion and its contribution to long-orbital-period blue stragglers

Binary population synthesis shows that mass transfer from a giant star to a main-sequence (MS) companion may account for some observed long-orbital-period blue stragglers. However, little attention is paid to this blue straggler formation scenario as dynamical instability often happens when the mass donor is a giant star. In this paper, we have studied the critical mass ratio, q _c, for dynamically stable mass transfer from a giant star to a MS companion using detailed evolution calculations. The results show that a more evolved star is generally less stable for Roche lobe overflow. Meanwhile,   q _c  almost linearly increases with the amount of the mass and angular momentum lost during mass transfer, but has little dependance on stellar wind. To conveniently use the result, we give a fit of q _c as a function of the stellar radius at the onset of Roche lobe overflow and of the mass-transfer efficiency during the Roche lobe overflow.
To examine the formation of blue stragglers from mass transfer between giants and MS stars, we have performed Monte Carlo simulations with various q _c. The simulations show that some binaries with the mass donor on the first giant branch may contribute to blue stragglers with q _c obtained in this paper but will not from previous q _c. Meanwhile, from our q _c, blue stragglers from the mass transfer between an asymptotic giant branch star and a MS companion may be more numerous and have a wider range of orbital periods than those from the other q _c.     

X-ray spectral evolution of low-mass X-ray binary GX 349+2

We present the results of a systematic investigation of spectral evolution in the Z source GX 349+2, using data obtained during 1998 with the Proportional Counter Array (PCA) on-board the RXTE satellite. The source traced a extended normal branch (NB) and flaring branch (FB) in the colour–colour diagram (CD) and the hardness-intensity diagram (HID) during these observations. The spectra at different positions of the Z-track were best fitted by a model consisting of a disc blackbody and a Comptonized spectrum. A broad (Gaussian) iron line at ∼6.7 keV is also required to improve the fit. The spectral parameters showed a systematic and significant variation with the position along the Z-track. The evolution in spectral parameters is discussed in view of the increasing mass accretion rate scenario, proposed to explain the motion of Z sources in the CD and the HID.     

Low- and intermediate-mass close binary evolution and the initial–final mass relation – III. Conservative case with convective overshooting and non-conservative case without overshooting

We have completed our series of calculation of case B evolution of Population I close binaries by including a conservative case with convective overshooting and a non-conservative case without convective overshooting in this paper. To apply the results easily to binary population synthesis, we fit two formulae for the remnant mass as a function of the initial mass of the primary, the radius of the primary at the onset of Roche lobe overflow (RLOF) and the initial mass ratio, with errors less than 1.9 per cent and 3.6 per cent for the conservative and non-conservative cases, respectively. We have also made comparisons between the results in this paper and those of previous studies in this series to examine the effects of our assumptions.
We find that the remnant mass depends on when RLOF begins in the Hertzsprung gap and the dependence increases with the mass of the primary. Helium–carbon–oxygen white dwarfs are formed in this series of calculation. Both the non-conservative assumption and convective overshooting make RLOF more stable: some binaries with initial mass ratios   q _i= 4.0  are dynamically stable during RLOF in all cases except for the conservative case without overshooting. From these models, we have discussed potential electron-degenerate oxygen–neon cores. Finally, we show the conditions under which one evolution scenario may be more likely than the others according to the results of previous authors.     

The simulation of the magnetic field and spin period evolution of accreting neutron stars

By means of the Monte Carlo method, we simulate the evolutionary distribution of accreting neutron stars (NSs) in the magnetic field versus spin period (B‐P) diagram where the accretion induced magnetic‐field decay model is exploited. The simulated results show that by mass accretion the B‐P distribution of the accreting NS would evolve along the equilibrium period line to a region with low field and short period. The B‐P distributions of the simulated accreting NSs are consistent with those of the observed millisecond pulsars (MSPs) after accretion of ∼ 0.1–0.2 M⊙. We also test the effects of the initial magnetic field and the spin period on the evolved B‐P distribution of the accreting NSs. It is shown that the evolved distributions of the simulated samples are independent of the selection of the initial condition when the NS magnetic field decays to a value less than ∼10¹⁰ G. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)