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Orbital Parameters of the PSR B1620–26 Triple System

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2016

Z. Arzoumanian ,
K. Joshi ,
F. A. Rasio  and
S. E. Thorsett
Z. Arzoumanian
Affiliation:
Department of Astronomy, Cornell University
K. Joshi
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
F. A. Rasio
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
S. E. Thorsett
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Princeton University

Abstract

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Previous timing data for PSR B1620–26 were consistent with a second companion mass m2 anywhere in the range ∼ 10−3 – 1M⊙, i.e., from a Jupiter-type planet to a star. We present the latest timing parameters for the system, including a significant change in the projected semi-major axis of the inner binary, a marginal detection of the fourth time derivative of the pulse frequency, and the pulsar proper motion (which is in agreement with published values for the proper motion of M4), and use them to further constrain the mass m2 and the orbital parameters. Using the observed value of , we obtain a one-parameter family of solutions, all with m2 ≲ 10−2 M⊙, i.e., excluding stellar masses. Varying within its formal 1σ error bar does not affect the mass range significantly. However, if we vary within a 4σ error bar, we find that stellar-mass solutions are still possible. We also calculate the predicted rate of change of the projected semi-major axis of the inner binary and show that it agrees with the measured value.

Type
Part 7 Binary Systems
Information
International Astronomical Union Colloquium , Volume 160: Pulsars: Problems and Progress , 1996 , pp. 525 - 530
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of the Pacific 1996

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