13,249 research outputs found
Evidence for a Massive Neutron Star from a Radial-Velocity Study of the Companion to the Black Widow Pulsar PSR B1957+20
The most massive neutron stars constrain the behavior of ultra-dense matter,
with larger masses possible only for increasingly stiff equations of state.
Here, we present evidence that the black widow pulsar, PSR B1957+20, has a high
mass. We took spectra of its strongly irradiated companion and found an
observed radial-velocity amplitude of K_obs=324+/-3 km/s. Correcting this for
the fact that, due to the irradiation, the center of light lies inward relative
to the center of mass, we infer a true radial-velocity amplitude of K_2=353+/-4
km/s and a mass ratio q=M_PSR/M_2=69.2+/-0.8. Combined with the inclination
i=65+/-2 deg inferred from models of the lightcurve, our best-fit pulsar mass
is M_PSR=2.40+/-0.12 M_sun. We discuss possible systematic uncertainties, in
particular in the lightcurve modeling. Taking an upper limit of i<85 deg based
on the absence of radio eclipses at high frequency, combined with a
conservative lower-limit to the motion of the center of mass, K_2>343 km/s
(q>67.3), we infer a lower limit to the pulsar mass of M_PSR>1.66 M_sun.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in ApJ;
revision includes more detail on the spectral classification and discussion
of other recent high neutron-star masse
The Role of Cytoplasmic mRNA Cap-Binding Protein Complexes in Trypanosoma brucei and Other Trypanosomatids.
Trypanosomatid protozoa are unusual eukaryotes that are well known for having unusual ways of controlling their gene expression. The lack of a refined mode of transcriptional control in these organisms is compensated by several post-transcriptional control mechanisms, such as control of mRNA turnover and selection of mRNA for translation, that may modulate protein synthesis in response to several environmental conditions found in different hosts. In other eukaryotes, selection of mRNA for translation is mediated by the complex eIF4F, a heterotrimeric protein complex composed by the subunits eIF4E, eIF4G, and eIF4A, where the eIF4E binds to the 5'-cap structure of mature mRNAs. In this review, we present and discuss the characteristics of six trypanosomatid eIF4E homologs and their associated proteins that form multiple eIF4F complexes. The existence of multiple eIF4F complexes in trypanosomatids evokes exquisite mechanisms for differential mRNA recognition for translation
Young Radio Pulsars in Galactic Globular Clusters
Currently three isolated radio pulsars and one binary radio pulsar with no
evidence of any previous recycling are known in 97 surveyed Galactic globular
clusters. As pointed out by Lyne et al., the presence of these pulsars cannot
be explained by core-collapse supernovae, as is commonly assumed for their
counterparts in the Galactic disk. We apply a Bayesian analysis to the results
from surveys for radio pulsars in globular clusters and find the number of
potentially observable non-recycled radio pulsars present in all clusters to be
< 3600. Accounting for beaming and retention considerations, the implied birth
rate for any formation scenario for all 97 clusters is < 0.25 pulsars per
century assuming a Maxwellian distribution of velocities with a dispersion of
10 km s^{-1}. The implied birth rates for higher velocity dispersions are
substantially higher than inferred for such pulsars in the Galactic disk. This
suggests that the velocity dispersion of young pulsars in globular clusters is
significantly lower than those of disk pulsars. These numbers may be
substantial overestimates due to the fact that the currently known sample of
young pulsars is observed only in metal-rich clusters. We propose that young
pulsars may only be formed in globular clusters with metallicities with
log[Fe/H] > -0.6. In this case, the potentially observable population of such
young pulsars is 447^{+1420}_{-399} (the error bars give the 95% confidence
interval) and their birth rate is 0.012^{+0.037}_{-0.010} pulsars per century.
The mostly likely creation scenario to explain these pulsars is the electron
capture supernova of a OMgNe white dwarf.Comment: 13 Pages, 6 Figures, 4 Tables, to appear in Ap
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