Sign on

SAO/NASA ADS Astronomy Abstract Service

· Find Similar Abstracts (with default settings below)
· Full Refereed Journal Article (PDF/Postscript)
· Full Refereed Scanned Article (GIF)
· arXiv e-print (arXiv:astro-ph/0307023)
· References in the article
· Citations to the Article (27) (Citation History)
· Refereed Citations to the Article
· SIMBAD Objects (5)
· Also-Read Articles (Reads History)
· HEP/Spires Information
·
· Translate This Page
Title:
Black widow pulsars: the price of promiscuity
Authors:
King, A. R.; Davies, M. B.; Beer, M. E.
Affiliation:
AA(Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH), AB(Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH), AC(Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH)
Publication:
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 345, Issue 2, pp. 678-682. (MNRAS Homepage)
Publication Date:
10/2003
Origin:
MNRAS
Astronomy Keywords:
accretion, accretion discs, pulsars: general, X-rays: binaries
DOI:
10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06990.x
Bibliographic Code:
2003MNRAS.345..678K

Abstract

The incidence of evaporating `black widow' pulsars (BWPs) among all millisecond pulsars is far higher in globular clusters than in the field. This implies a special formation mechanism for them in clusters. Cluster millisecond pulsars in wide binaries with white dwarf companions exchange them for turnoff-mass stars. These new companions eventually overflow their Roche lobes because of encounters and tides. The millisecond pulsars eject the overflowing gas from the binary, giving mass loss on the binary evolution time-scale. The systems are only observable as BWPs at epochs where this evolution is slow, making the mass loss transparent and the lifetime long. This explains why observed BWPs have low-mass companions. We suggest that at least some field BWPs were ejected from globular clusters or entered the field population when the cluster itself was disrupted.

Printing Options

Send high resolution image to Level 2 Postscript Printer
Send low resolution image to Level 2 Postscript Printer
Send low resolution image to Level 1 Postscript Printer
Get high resolution PDF image
Get low resolution PDF
Send 300 dpi image to PCL Printer
Send 150 dpi image to PCL Printer

More Article Retrieval Options

HELP for Article Retrieval
Bibtex entry for this abstract   Preferred format for this abstract (see Preferences)
  New!

Find Similar Abstracts:

Use: Authors
Title
Keywords (in text query field)
Abstract Text
Return: Query Results Return    items starting with number
Query Form
Database: Astronomy
Physics
arXiv e-prints