Pulsar J1411+2551: A Low-mass Double Neutron Star System

Journal
Date Issued
2017
Author(s)
Martinez, J. G.
•
Stovall, K.
•
Freire, P. C. C.
•
Deneva, J. S.
•
Tauris, T. M.
•
•
Wex, N.
•
Jenet, F. A.
•
McLaughlin, M. A.
•
Bagchi, M.
DOI
Abstract
In this work, we report the discovery and characterization of PSR J1411+2551, a new binary pulsar discovered in the Arecibo 327 MHz Drift Pulsar Survey. Our timing observations of the radio pulsar in the system span a period of about 2.5 years. This timing campaign allowed a precise measurement of its spin period (62.4 ms) and its derivative (9.6 ± 0.7) × 10-20 s s-1 from these, we derive a characteristic age of >9.1 Gyr and a surface magnetic field strength of <2.6 × 109 G. These numbers indicate that this pulsar was mildly recycled by accretion of matter from the progenitor of the companion star. The system has an eccentric (e = 0.17) 2.61 day orbit. This eccentricity allows a highly significant measurement of the rate of advance of periastron, \dot{ω } =0.07686+/- 0.00046^\circ {{yr}}-1. Assuming general relativity accurately describes the orbital motion, this implies a total system mass M = 2.538 ± 0.022 M ☉. The minimum companion mass is 0.92 M ☉ and the maximum pulsar mass is 1.62 M ☉. The large companion mass and the orbital eccentricity suggest that PSR J1411+2551 is a double neutron star system; the lightest known to date including the DNS merger GW170817. Furthermore, the relatively low orbital eccentricity and small proper motion limits suggest that the second supernova had a relatively small associated kick; this and the low system mass suggest that it was an ultra-stripped supernova.
Volume
851
Issue
2
Start page
L29
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
2041-8205
Ads BibCode
2017ApJ...851L..29M
Rights
open.access
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