A 62-minute orbital period black widow binary in a wide hierarchical triple

Kevin B. Burdge; Thomas R. Marsh; Jim Fuller; Eric C. Bellm; Ilaria Caiazzo; Deepto Chakrabarty; Michael W. Coughlin; Kishalay De; V. S. Dhillon; Matthew J. Graham; Pablo Rodríguez-Gil; Amruta D. Jaodand; David L. Kaplan; Erin Kara; Albert K.H. Kong; S. R. Kulkarni; Kwan Lok Li; S. P. Littlefair; Walid A. Majid; Przemek Mróz; Aaron B. Pearlman; E. S. Phinney; Jan van Roestel; Robert A. Simcoe; Igor Andreoni; Andrew J. Drake; Richard G. Dekany; Dmitry A. Duev; Erik C. Kool; Ashish A. Mahabal; Michael S. Medford; Reed Riddle; Thomas A. Prince

doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04551-1

A 62-minute orbital period black widow binary in a wide hierarchical triple

Kevin B. Burdge, Thomas R. Marsh, Jim Fuller, Eric C. Bellm, Ilaria Caiazzo, Deepto Chakrabarty, Michael W. Coughlin, Kishalay De, V. S. Dhillon, Matthew J. Graham, Pablo Rodríguez-Gil, Amruta D. Jaodand, David L. Kaplan, Erin Kara, Albert K.H. Kong, S. R. Kulkarni, Kwan Lok Li, S. P. Littlefair, Walid A. Majid, Przemek MrózAaron B. Pearlman, E. S. Phinney, Jan van Roestel, Robert A. Simcoe, Igor Andreoni, Andrew J. Drake, Richard G. Dekany, Dmitry A. Duev, Erik C. Kool, Ashish A. Mahabal, Michael S. Medford, Reed Riddle, Thomas A. Prince

Physics and Astronomy (Twin Cities)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Over a dozen millisecond pulsars are ablating low-mass companions in close binary systems. In the original ‘black widow’, the eight-hour orbital period eclipsing pulsar PSR J1959+2048 (PSR B1957+20)¹, high-energy emission originating from the pulsar² is irradiating and may eventually destroy³ a low-mass companion. These systems are not only physical laboratories that reveal the interesting results of exposing a close companion star to the relativistic energy output of a pulsar, but are also believed to harbour some of the most massive neutron stars⁴, allowing for robust tests of the neutron star equation of state. Here we report observations of ZTF J1406+1222, a wide hierarchical triple hosting a 62-minute orbital period black widow candidate, the optical flux of which varies by a factor of more than ten. ZTF J1406+1222 pushes the boundaries of evolutionary models⁵, falling below the 80-minute minimum orbital period of hydrogen-rich systems. The wide tertiary companion is a rare low-metallicity cool subdwarf star, and the system has a Galactic halo orbit consistent with passing near the Galactic Centre, making it a probe of formation channels, neutron star kick physics⁶ and binary evolution.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	41-45
Number of pages	5
Journal	Nature
Volume	605
Issue number	7908
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04551-1
State	Published - May 5 2022

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© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

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Burdge, K. B., Marsh, T. R., Fuller, J., Bellm, E. C., Caiazzo, I., Chakrabarty, D., Coughlin, M. W., De, K., Dhillon, V. S., Graham, M. J., Rodríguez-Gil, P., Jaodand, A. D., Kaplan, D. L., Kara, E., Kong, A. K. H., Kulkarni, S. R., Li, K. L., Littlefair, S. P., Majid, W. A., ... Prince, T. A. (2022). A 62-minute orbital period black widow binary in a wide hierarchical triple. Nature, 605(7908), 41-45. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04551-1

Burdge, KB, Marsh, TR, Fuller, J, Bellm, EC, Caiazzo, I, Chakrabarty, D, Coughlin, MW, De, K, Dhillon, VS, Graham, MJ, Rodríguez-Gil, P, Jaodand, AD, Kaplan, DL, Kara, E, Kong, AKH, Kulkarni, SR, Li, KL, Littlefair, SP, Majid, WA, Mróz, P, Pearlman, AB, Phinney, ES, Roestel, JV, Simcoe, RA, Andreoni, I, Drake, AJ, Dekany, RG, Duev, DA, Kool, EC, Mahabal, AA, Medford, MS, Riddle, R & Prince, TA 2022, 'A 62-minute orbital period black widow binary in a wide hierarchical triple', Nature, vol. 605, no. 7908, pp. 41-45. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04551-1

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title = "A 62-minute orbital period black widow binary in a wide hierarchical triple",

abstract = "Over a dozen millisecond pulsars are ablating low-mass companions in close binary systems. In the original {\textquoteleft}black widow{\textquoteright}, the eight-hour orbital period eclipsing pulsar PSR J1959+2048 (PSR B1957+20)1, high-energy emission originating from the pulsar2 is irradiating and may eventually destroy3 a low-mass companion. These systems are not only physical laboratories that reveal the interesting results of exposing a close companion star to the relativistic energy output of a pulsar, but are also believed to harbour some of the most massive neutron stars4, allowing for robust tests of the neutron star equation of state. Here we report observations of ZTF J1406+1222, a wide hierarchical triple hosting a 62-minute orbital period black widow candidate, the optical flux of which varies by a factor of more than ten. ZTF J1406+1222 pushes the boundaries of evolutionary models5, falling below the 80-minute minimum orbital period of hydrogen-rich systems. The wide tertiary companion is a rare low-metallicity cool subdwarf star, and the system has a Galactic halo orbit consistent with passing near the Galactic Centre, making it a probe of formation channels, neutron star kick physics6 and binary evolution.",

author = "Burdge, {Kevin B.} and Marsh, {Thomas R.} and Jim Fuller and Bellm, {Eric C.} and Ilaria Caiazzo and Deepto Chakrabarty and Coughlin, {Michael W.} and Kishalay De and Dhillon, {V. S.} and Graham, {Matthew J.} and Pablo Rodr{\'i}guez-Gil and Jaodand, {Amruta D.} and Kaplan, {David L.} and Erin Kara and Kong, {Albert K.H.} and Kulkarni, {S. R.} and Li, {Kwan Lok} and Littlefair, {S. P.} and Majid, {Walid A.} and Przemek Mr{\'o}z and Pearlman, {Aaron B.} and Phinney, {E. S.} and Roestel, {Jan van} and Simcoe, {Robert A.} and Igor Andreoni and Drake, {Andrew J.} and Dekany, {Richard G.} and Duev, {Dmitry A.} and Kool, {Erik C.} and Mahabal, {Ashish A.} and Medford, {Michael S.} and Reed Riddle and Prince, {Thomas A.}",

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AU - Burdge, Kevin B.

AU - Marsh, Thomas R.

AU - Fuller, Jim

AU - Bellm, Eric C.

AU - Caiazzo, Ilaria

AU - Chakrabarty, Deepto

AU - Coughlin, Michael W.

AU - De, Kishalay

AU - Dhillon, V. S.

AU - Graham, Matthew J.

AU - Rodríguez-Gil, Pablo

AU - Jaodand, Amruta D.

AU - Kaplan, David L.

AU - Kara, Erin

AU - Kong, Albert K.H.

AU - Kulkarni, S. R.

AU - Li, Kwan Lok

AU - Littlefair, S. P.

AU - Majid, Walid A.

AU - Mróz, Przemek

AU - Pearlman, Aaron B.

AU - Phinney, E. S.

AU - Roestel, Jan van

AU - Simcoe, Robert A.

AU - Andreoni, Igor

AU - Drake, Andrew J.

AU - Dekany, Richard G.

AU - Duev, Dmitry A.

AU - Kool, Erik C.

AU - Mahabal, Ashish A.

AU - Medford, Michael S.

AU - Riddle, Reed

AU - Prince, Thomas A.

PY - 2022/5/5

Y1 - 2022/5/5

N2 - Over a dozen millisecond pulsars are ablating low-mass companions in close binary systems. In the original ‘black widow’, the eight-hour orbital period eclipsing pulsar PSR J1959+2048 (PSR B1957+20)1, high-energy emission originating from the pulsar2 is irradiating and may eventually destroy3 a low-mass companion. These systems are not only physical laboratories that reveal the interesting results of exposing a close companion star to the relativistic energy output of a pulsar, but are also believed to harbour some of the most massive neutron stars4, allowing for robust tests of the neutron star equation of state. Here we report observations of ZTF J1406+1222, a wide hierarchical triple hosting a 62-minute orbital period black widow candidate, the optical flux of which varies by a factor of more than ten. ZTF J1406+1222 pushes the boundaries of evolutionary models5, falling below the 80-minute minimum orbital period of hydrogen-rich systems. The wide tertiary companion is a rare low-metallicity cool subdwarf star, and the system has a Galactic halo orbit consistent with passing near the Galactic Centre, making it a probe of formation channels, neutron star kick physics6 and binary evolution.

AB - Over a dozen millisecond pulsars are ablating low-mass companions in close binary systems. In the original ‘black widow’, the eight-hour orbital period eclipsing pulsar PSR J1959+2048 (PSR B1957+20)1, high-energy emission originating from the pulsar2 is irradiating and may eventually destroy3 a low-mass companion. These systems are not only physical laboratories that reveal the interesting results of exposing a close companion star to the relativistic energy output of a pulsar, but are also believed to harbour some of the most massive neutron stars4, allowing for robust tests of the neutron star equation of state. Here we report observations of ZTF J1406+1222, a wide hierarchical triple hosting a 62-minute orbital period black widow candidate, the optical flux of which varies by a factor of more than ten. ZTF J1406+1222 pushes the boundaries of evolutionary models5, falling below the 80-minute minimum orbital period of hydrogen-rich systems. The wide tertiary companion is a rare low-metallicity cool subdwarf star, and the system has a Galactic halo orbit consistent with passing near the Galactic Centre, making it a probe of formation channels, neutron star kick physics6 and binary evolution.

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A 62-minute orbital period black widow binary in a wide hierarchical triple

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