Timing, glitches and braking index of PSR B0540-69

We report a pulse-time history of PSR B0540$-$69 based on the analysis of an extended Data set including ASCA, BeppoSAX and RXTE observations spanning a time interval of about 8 years. This interval includes also the epoch of the glitch episode reported by Zhang et al. (2001). Our analysis shows the presence of a relevant timing noise and does not give a clear evidence of the glitch occurrence. We performed an accurate evaluation of the main timing parameters, $\nu$, $\dot{\nu}$ and $\ddot{\nu}$ and derived a mean braking index of $n=2.125\pm0.001$ quite different from the lower value found by Zhang et al. (2001), but in rather good agreement with other several values reported in the literature.Comment: 9 pages 5 figures, accepted by A&A, main journa

The discovery of the 401 Hz accreting millisecond pulsar IGR J17498-2921 in a 3.8 hr orbit

We report on the detection of a 400.99018734(1) Hz coherent signal in the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer light curves of the recently discovered X-ray transient, IGR J17498-2921. By analysing the frequency modulation caused by the orbital motion observed between August 13 and September 8, 2011, we derive an orbital solution for the binary system with a period of 3.8432275(3) hr. The measured mass function, f(M_2, M_1, i)=0.00203807(8) Msun, allows to set a lower limit of 0.17 Msun on the mass of the companion star, while an upper limit of 0.48 Msun is set by imposing that the companion star does not overfill its Roche lobe. We observe a marginally significant evolution of the signal frequency at an average rate of -(6.3 +/- 1.9)E-14 Hz/s. The low statistical significance of this measurement and the possible presence of timing noise hampers a firm detection of any evolution of the neutron star spin. We also present an analysis of the spectral properties of IGR J17498-2921 based on the observations performed by the Swift-X-ray Telescope and the RXTE-Proportional Counter Array between August 12 and September 22, 2011. During most of the outburst, the spectra are modeled by a power-law with an index Gamma~1.7-2, while values of ~3 are observed as the source fades into quiescence.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication by A&A Letters on 7/11/201

The Mass of the Compact Object in the X-Ray Binary Her X-1/HZ Her

We have obtained the first estimates of the masses of the components of the Her X-1/HZ Her X-ray binary system taking into account non-LTE effects in the formation of the H_gamma absorption line: mx=1.8Msun and mv=2.5Msun. These mass estimates were made in a Roche model based on the observed radial-velocity curve of the optical star, HZ Her. The masses for the X-ray pulsar and optical star obtained for an LTE model lie are mx=0.85\pm0.15Msun and mv=1.87\pm0.13Msun. These mass estimates for the components of Her X-1/HZ Her derived from the radial-velocity curve should be considered tentative. Further mass estimates from high-precision observations of the orbital variability of the absorption profiles in a non-LTE model for the atmosphere of the optical component should be made.Comment: 20 pages, 4 tables, 8 figure

Study of the cyclotron feature in MXB 0656-072

We have monitored a type II outburst of the Be/X-ray binary MXB 0656−072 in a series of pointed RXTE observations during October through December 2003. The source spectrum shows a cyclotron resonance scattering feature at 32.8 +0.5 −0.4 keV, corresponding to a magnetic field strength of 3.67 +0.06 −0.04 × 10 12 G and is stable through the outburst and over the pulsar spin phase. The pulsar, with an average pulse period of 160.4 ± 0.4s,shows a spin-up of 0.45 s over the duration of the outburst. From optical data, the source distance is estimated to be 3.9 ± 0.1 kpc and this is used to estimate the X-ray luminosity and a theoretical prediction of the pulsar spin-up during the outburst

X-ray observations of the Large Magellanic Cloud pulsar PSR B0540-69 and its PWN

PSR B0540-69 is a young pulsar in the Large Magellanic Cloud that has similar properties with respect to the Crab Pulsar, and is embedded in a Pulsar Wind Nebula. We have analyzed the complete archival RXTE dataset of observations of this source, together with new Swift-XRT and INTEGRAL-IBIS data. Accurate lightcurves are produced in various energy bands between 2 and 60 keV, showing no significant energy variations of the pulse shape. The spectral analysis shows that the pulsed spectrum is curved, and is best fitted up to 100 keV by a log-parabolic model: this strengthens the similarities with the Crab pulsar, and is discussed in the light of a phenomenologic multicomponent model. The total emission from this source is studied, the relative contributions of the pulsar and the PWN emission are derived, and discussed in the context of other INTEGRAL detected pulsar/PWN systems.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

The pulse profile and spin evolution of the accreting pulsar in Terzan 5, IGR J17480-2446, during its 2010 outburst

(abridged) We analyse the spectral and pulse properties of the 11 Hz transient accreting pulsar, IGR J17480-2446, in the globular cluster Terzan 5, considering all the available RXTE, Swift and INTEGRAL observations performed between October and November, 2010. By measuring the pulse phase evolution we conclude that the NS spun up at an average rate of =1.48(2)E-12 Hz/s, compatible with the accretion of the Keplerian angular momentum of matter at the inner disc boundary. Similar to other accreting pulsars, the stability of the pulse phases determined by using the second harmonic component is higher than that of the phases based on the fundamental frequency. Under the assumption that the second harmonic is a good tracer of the neutron star spin frequency, we successfully model its evolution in terms of a luminosity dependent accretion torque. If the NS accretes the specific Keplerian angular momentum of the in-flowing matter, we estimate the inner disc radius to lie between 47 and 93 km when the luminosity attains its peak value. Smaller values are obtained if the interaction between the magnetic field lines and the plasma in the disc is considered. The phase-averaged spectrum is described by thermal Comptonization of photons with energy of ~1 keV. A hard to soft state transition is observed during the outburst rise. The Comptonized spectrum evolves from a Comptonizing cloud at an electron temperature of ~20 keV towards an optically denser cloud at kT_e~3 keV. At the same time, the pulse amplitude decreases from 27% to few per cent and becomes strongly energy dependent. We discuss various possibilities to explain such a behaviour, proposing that at large accretion luminosities a significant fraction of the in-falling matter is not channelled towards the magnetic poles, but rather accretes more evenly onto the NS surface.Comment: To appear in MNRA

The optical light curve of the LMC pulsar B0540-69 in 2009

This paper reports a detailed analysis of the optical light curve of PSR B0540-69, the second brightest pulsar in the visible band, obtained in 2009 (Jan. 18 and 20, and Dec. 14, 15, 16, 18) with the very high speed photon counting photometer Iqueye mounted at the ESO 3.6-m NTT in La Silla (Chile). The optical light curve derived by Iqueye shows a double structure in the main peak, with a raising edge steeper than the trailing edge. The double peak can be fitted by two Gaussians with the same height and FWHM of 13.3 and 15.5 ms respectively. Our new values of spin frequencies allow to extend by 3.5 years the time interval over which a reliable estimate of frequency first and second derivatives can be performed. A discussion of implications on the braking index and age of the pulsar is carried out. A value of n = 2.087 +/- 0.007 for the overall braking index from 1987 to 2009 is derived. The braking index corrected age is confirmed around 1700 years.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA

Asian outflow and trans-Pacific transport of carbon monoxide and ozone pollution: An integrated satellite, aircraft, and model perspective

Satellite observations of carbon monoxide (CO) from the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument are combined with measurements from the Transport and Chemical Evolution Over the Pacific (TRACE-P) aircraft mission over the northwest Pacific and with a global three-dimensional chemical transport model (GEOS-CHEM) to quantify Asian pollution outflow and its trans-Pacific transport during spring 2001. Global CO column distributions in MOPITT and GEOS-CHEM are highly correlated (R2 = 0.87), with no significant model bias. The largest regional bias is over Southeast Asia, where the model is 18% too high. A 60% decrease of regional biomass burning emissions in the model (to 39 Tg yr−1) would correct the discrepancy; this result is consistent with TRACE-P observations. MOPITT and TRACE-P also give consistent constraints on the Chinese source of CO from fuel combustion (181 Tg CO yr−1). Four major events of trans-Pacific transport of Asian pollution in spring 2001 were seen by MOPITT, in situ platforms, and GEOS-CHEM. One of them was sampled by TRACE-P (26–27 February) as a succession of pollution layers over the northeast Pacific. These layers all originated from one single event of Asian outflow that split into northern and southern plumes over the central Pacific. The northern plume (sampled at 6–8 km off California) had no ozone enhancement. The southern subsiding plume (sampled at 2–4 km west of Hawaii) contained a 8–17 ppbv ozone enhancement, driven by decomposition of peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN) to nitrogen oxides (NOx). This result suggests that PAN decomposition in trans-Pacific pollution plumes subsiding over the United States could lead to significant enhancements of surface ozone

A High Statistics Search for Ultra-High Energy Gamma-Ray Emission from Cygnus X-3 and Hercules X-1

We have carried out a high statistics (2 Billion events) search for ultra-high energy gamma-ray emission from the X-ray binary sources Cygnus X-3 and Hercules X-1. Using data taken with the CASA-MIA detector over a five year period (1990-1995), we find no evidence for steady emission from either source at energies above 115 TeV. The derived upper limits on such emission are more than two orders of magnitude lower than earlier claimed detections. We also find no evidence for neutral particle or gamma-ray emission from either source on time scales of one day and 0.5 hr. For Cygnus X-3, there is no evidence for emission correlated with the 4.8 hr X-ray periodicity or with the occurrence of large radio flares. Unless one postulates that these sources were very active earlier and are now dormant, the limits presented here put into question the earlier results, and highlight the difficulties that possible future experiments will have in detecting gamma-ray signals at ultra-high energies.Comment: 26 LaTeX pages, 16 PostScript figures, uses psfig.sty to be published in Physical Review

Accreting Millisecond X-Ray Pulsars

Accreting Millisecond X-Ray Pulsars (AMXPs) are astrophysical laboratories without parallel in the study of extreme physics. In this chapter we review the past fifteen years of discoveries in the field. We summarize the observations of the fifteen known AMXPs, with a particular emphasis on the multi-wavelength observations that have been carried out since the discovery of the first AMXP in 1998. We review accretion torque theory, the pulse formation process, and how AMXP observations have changed our view on the interaction of plasma and magnetic fields in strong gravity. We also explain how the AMXPs have deepened our understanding of the thermonuclear burst process, in particular the phenomenon of burst oscillations. We conclude with a discussion of the open problems that remain to be addressed in the future.Comment: Review to appear in "Timing neutron stars: pulsations, oscillations and explosions", T. Belloni, M. Mendez, C.M. Zhang Eds., ASSL, Springer; [revision with literature updated, several typos removed, 1 new AMXP added