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Register a new userOrbital Dynamics of Candidate Transitional Millisecond Pulsar 3FGL J1544.6-1125: An unusually face-on system
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Christopher T. Britt
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We present the orbital solution for the donor star of the candidate transitional millisecond pulsar 3FGL J1544.6-1125, currently observed as an accreting low-mass X-ray binary. The orbital period is $0.2415361(36)$ days, entirely consistent with the spectral classification of the donor star as a mid to late K dwarf. The semi-amplitude of the radial velocity curve is exceptionally low at $K_2=39.3pm1.5$ km s$^{-1}$, implying a remarkably face-on inclination in the range 5--8$^{circ}$, depending on the neutron star and donor masses. After determining the veiling of the secondary, we derive a distance to the binary of $3.8pm0.7$ kpc, yielding a 0.3--10 keV X-ray luminosity of $6.1pm1.9times10^{33},{rm erg,s^{-1}}$, similar to confirmed transitional millisecond pulsars. As face-on binaries rarely occur by chance, we discuss the possibility that Fermi-selected samples of transitional milli-second pulsars in the sub-luminous disk state are affected by beaming. By phasing emission line strength on the spectroscopic ephemeris, we find coherent variations, and argue that these variations are most consistent with emission from an asymmetric shock originating near the inner disk.
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We present a multi-wavelength study of the unidentified Fermi object, 3FGL J0212.1+5320. Within the 95% error ellipse, Chandra detects a bright X-ray source (i.e., F(0.5-7keV) = 1.4e-12 erg/cm^2/s), which has a low-mass optical counterpart (M < 0.4 Msun and T ~ 6000 K). A clear ellipsoidal modulation is shown in optical/infrared at 20.87 hours. The gamma-ray properties of 3FGL J0212.1+5320 are all consistent with that of a millisecond pulsar, suggesting that it is a gamma-ray redback millisecond pulsar binary with a low-mass companion filling > 64% of the Roche-lobe. If confirmed, it will be a redback binary with one of the longest orbital periods known. Spectroscopic data taken in 2015 from the Lijiang observatory show no evidence of strong emission lines, revealing that the accretion is currently inactive (the rotation-powered pulsar state). This is consistent with the low X-ray luminosities (Lx ~ 10^32 erg/s) and the possible X-ray modulation seen by Chandra and Swift. Considering that the X-ray luminosity and the high X-ray-to-gamma-ray flux ratio (8%) are both comparable to that of the two known gamma-ray transitional millisecond pulsars, we suspect that 3FGL J0212.1+5320 could be a potential target to search for future transition to the accretion active state.
We present multi-wavelength observations of the unassociated gamma-ray source 3FGL J2039.6-5618 detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. The source gamma-ray properties suggest that it is a pulsar, most likely a millisecond pulsar, for which neither radio nor $gamma$-ray pulsations have been detected yet. We observed 3FGL J2039.6-5618 with XMM-Newton and discovered several candidate X-ray counterparts within/close to the gamma-ray error box. The brightest of these X-ray sources is variable with a period of 0.2245$pm$0.0081 d. Its X-ray spectrum can be described by a power law with photon index $Gamma_X =1.36pm0.09$, and hydrogen column density $N_{rm H} < 4 times 10^{20}$ cm$^{-2}$, which gives an unabsorbed 0.3--10 keV X-ray flux of $1.02 times 10^{-13}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$. Observations with the Gamma-Ray Burst Optical/Near-Infrared Detector (GROND) discovered an optical counterpart to this X-ray source, with a time-average magnitude $gsim 19.5$. The counterpart features a flux modulation with a period of 0.22748$pm$0.00043 d that coincides, within the errors, with that of the X-ray source, confirming the association based on the positional coincidence. We interpret the observed X-ray/optical periodicity as the orbital period of a close binary system where one of the two members is a neutron star. The light curve profile of the companion star, with two asymmetric peaks, suggests that the optical emission comes from two regions at different temperatures on its tidally-distorted surface. Based upon its X-ray and optical properties, we consider this source as the most likely X-ray counterpart to 3FGL J2039.6-5618, which we propose to be a new redback system.
We present the discovery of a variable optical counterpart to the unidentified gamma-ray source 3FGL J0212.1+5320, and argue this is a new compact binary millisecond pulsar (MSP) candidate. We show 3FGL J0212.1+5320 hosts a semi-detached binary with a 0.86955$pm$0.00015 d orbital period and a F6-type companion star at an estimated distance of D=1.1$pm$0.2 kpc, with a radial velocity curve semi-amplitude K$_2$=214.1$pm$5.0 km s$^{-1}$ and a projected rotational velocity of Vsin(i)=73.2$pm$1.6 km s$^{-1}$. We find a hard X-ray source at the same location with a 0.5$-$10 keV luminosity L$_mathrm{X}$=2.6$times$10$^{32}$ (D/1.1 kpc)$^2$ erg s$^{-1}$, which strengthens the MSP identification. Our results imply a mass ratio q=M$_2$/M$_1$=0.26$^{+0.02}_{-0.03}$ if the companion star fills its Roche lobe, and q$gtrsim$0.26 in any case. This classifies 3FGL J0212.1+5320 as a redback binary MSP; if its MSP nature is confirmed, this will be the brightest compact binary MSP in the optical band (r$simeq$14.3 mag) and will have the longest orbital period among Galactic field systems (nearly 21 hr). Based on the light curve peak-to-peak amplitude ($Delta$r=0.19 mag), we further suggest that the orbital inclination is high and the putative pulsar mass is close to canonical (M$_1$$simeq$1.3$-$1.6 M$_odot$). Finally, we discuss the lack of heating signatures and asymmetric optical light curves in the context of other redback MSPs.
Transitional millisecond pulsars are accreting millisecond pulsars that switch between accreting X-ray binary and millisecond radio pulsar states. Only a handful of these objects have been identified so far. Terzan 5 CX1 is a variable hard X-ray source in the globular cluster Terzan 5. In this paper, we identify a radio counterpart to CX1 in deep Very Large Array radio continuum data. Chandra observations over the last fourteen years indicate that CX1 shows two brightness states: in 2003 and 2016 the source was the brightest X-ray source in the cluster (at L$_X sim 10^{33}$ erg s$^{-1}$), while in many intermediate observations, its luminosity was almost an order of magnitude lower. We analyze all available X-ray data of CX1, showing that the two states are consistent with the spectral and variability properties observed for the X-ray active and radio pulsar states of known transitional millisecond pulsars. Finally, we discuss the prospects for the detection of CX1 as a radio pulsar in existing timing data.
Linares et al. (2016) obtained quasi-simultaneous g, r and i-band light curves and an absorption line radial velocity curve of the secondary star in the redback system 3FGL J0212.1+5320. The light curves showed two maxima and minima primarily due to the secondary stars ellipsoidal modulation, but with unequal maxima and minima. We fit these light curves and radial velocities with our X-ray binary model including either a dark solar-type star spot or a hot spot due to off-centre heating from an intrabinary shock, to account for the unequal maxima. Both models give a radial velocity semi-amplitude and rotational broadening that agree with the observations. The observed secondary stars effective temperature is best matched with the value obtained using the hot spot model, which gives a neutron star and secondary star mass of $M_{rm 1}$=1.85$^{+0.32}_{-0.26}$ $M_{odot}$and $M_{rm 2}$=0.50$^{+0.22}_{-0.19}$ $M_{odot}$, respectively.
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