Wide binary pulsars from electron-capture supernovae
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Wide binary pulsars from electron-capture supernovae. / Stevenson, Simon; Willcox, Reinhold; Vigna-Gomez, Alejandro; Broekgaarden, Floor.
In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 513, No. 4, 31.05.2022, p. 6105-6110.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Wide binary pulsars from electron-capture supernovae
AU - Stevenson, Simon
AU - Willcox, Reinhold
AU - Vigna-Gomez, Alejandro
AU - Broekgaarden, Floor
PY - 2022/5/31
Y1 - 2022/5/31
N2 - Neutron stars receive velocity kicks at birth in supernovae. Those formed in electron-capture supernovae from superasymptotic giant branch stars - the lowest mass stars to end their lives in supernovae - may receive significantly lower kicks than typical neutron stars. Given that many massive stars are members of wide binaries, this suggests the existence of a population of low-mass (1.25 < M-psr/M-circle dot < 1.3), wide (P-orb greater than or similar to 10(4) d), eccentric (e similar to 0.7), unrecycled (P-spin similar to 1 s) binary pulsars. The formation rate of such binaries is sensitive to the mass range of (effectively) single stars leading to electron capture supernovae, the amount of mass lost prior to the supernova, and the magnitude of any natal kick imparted on the neutron star. We estimate that one such binary pulsar should be observable in the Milky Way for every 10 000 isolated pulsars, assuming that the width of the mass range of single stars leading to electron-capture supernovae is less than or similar to 0.2 M-circle dot, and that neutron stars formed in electron-capture supernovae receive typical kicks less than 10 km s(-1). We have searched the catalogue of observed binary pulsars, but find no convincing candidates that could be formed through this channel, consistent with this low predicted rate. Future observations with the Square Kilometre Array may detect this rare sub-class of binary pulsar and provide strong constraints on the properties of electron-capture supernovae and their progenitors.
AB - Neutron stars receive velocity kicks at birth in supernovae. Those formed in electron-capture supernovae from superasymptotic giant branch stars - the lowest mass stars to end their lives in supernovae - may receive significantly lower kicks than typical neutron stars. Given that many massive stars are members of wide binaries, this suggests the existence of a population of low-mass (1.25 < M-psr/M-circle dot < 1.3), wide (P-orb greater than or similar to 10(4) d), eccentric (e similar to 0.7), unrecycled (P-spin similar to 1 s) binary pulsars. The formation rate of such binaries is sensitive to the mass range of (effectively) single stars leading to electron capture supernovae, the amount of mass lost prior to the supernova, and the magnitude of any natal kick imparted on the neutron star. We estimate that one such binary pulsar should be observable in the Milky Way for every 10 000 isolated pulsars, assuming that the width of the mass range of single stars leading to electron-capture supernovae is less than or similar to 0.2 M-circle dot, and that neutron stars formed in electron-capture supernovae receive typical kicks less than 10 km s(-1). We have searched the catalogue of observed binary pulsars, but find no convincing candidates that could be formed through this channel, consistent with this low predicted rate. Future observations with the Square Kilometre Array may detect this rare sub-class of binary pulsar and provide strong constraints on the properties of electron-capture supernovae and their progenitors.
KW - stars: neutron
KW - pulsars: general
KW - supernovae: general
KW - WHITE-DWARF COMPANION
KW - NEUTRON-STAR
KW - CORE-COLLAPSE
KW - MILLISECOND PULSAR
KW - STELLAR EVOLUTION
KW - YOUNG PULSARS
KW - RADIO PULSAR
KW - MASS
KW - SIMULATIONS
KW - POPULATION
U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stac1322
DO - 10.1093/mnras/stac1322
M3 - Journal article
VL - 513
SP - 6105
EP - 6110
JO - Royal Astronomical Society. Monthly Notices
JF - Royal Astronomical Society. Monthly Notices
SN - 0035-8711
IS - 4
ER -
ID: 315535739