6533b827fe1ef96bd1286621
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Timing an Accreting Millisecond Pulsar: Measuring the Accretion Torque in IGR J00291+5934
R. IariaN. R. RobbaT. Di SalvoM. T. MennaLuigi StellaF. D'antonaLuciano BurderiG. LavagettoAlessandro PapittoAlessandro PapittoAlessandro Riggiosubject
neutron; stars : magnetic fields; pulsars : general; pulsars : individual : IGR J00291+5934; X-ray : binaries [accretion accretion disks; stars]X-rays : binariesAstrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical PhenomenaX-ray binaryFOS: Physical sciencesAstrophysicsaccretion accretion diskAstrophysicsX-ray : binariesBinary pulsarLuminositypulsars : individual : IGR J00291+5934symbols.namesakePulsarMillisecond pulsarAstrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysicspulsars : individual (IGR J00291+5934)PhysicsAccretion (meteorology)general; pulsars : individual (IGR J00291+5934); stars : magnetic fields; stars : neutron; X-rays : binaries [pulsars]Astrophysics (astro-ph)pulsars : generalStatic timing analysisAstronomystars : magnetic fieldAstronomy and Astrophysicsstars : neutronNeutron starSpace and Planetary SciencesymbolsAstrophysics::Earth and Planetary AstrophysicsDoppler effectX-ray pulsardescription
We performed a timing analysis of the fastest accreting millisecond pulsar IGR J00291+5934 using RXTE data taken during the outburst of December 2004. We corrected the arrival times of all the events for the orbital (Doppler) effects and performed a timing analysis of the resulting phase delays. In this way we have the possibility to study, for the first time in this class of sources, the spin-up of a millisecond pulsar as a consequence of accretion torques during the X-ray outburst. The accretion torque gives us for the first time an independent estimate of the mass accretion rate onto the neutron star, which can be compared with the observed X-ray luminosity. We also report a revised value of the spin period of the pulsar.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-01-01 |