Astronomy:PSR B0943+10

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Short description: Pulsar in the constellation of Leo
PSR B0943+10
Observation data
Equinox J2000.0]] (ICRS)
Constellation Leo
Right ascension  09h 46m 7.31s[1]
Declination +09° 51′ 57.3″[1]
Astrometry
Distance2,000 ly
(630 ± 100[2] pc)
Characteristics
Spectral type Neutron star
Variable type Pulsar
Details
Mass1.5[3] M
Luminosity1.31×10−5[2] L
Temperature3.1×106[lower-alpha 1][2] K
Rotation1.1 s[2]
Age5[lower-alpha 2][2] Myr
Database references
SIMBADdata

PSR B0943+10 is a pulsar 2,000 light years from Earth[2] in the direction of the constellation of Leo.[4] It was discovered at Pushchino in December 1968, becoming the first pulsar discovered by Soviet astronomers.[5][6] The original designation of this pulsar was PP 0943[1]

Characteristics

The pulsar is estimated to be 5 million years old, which is relatively old for a pulsar.[7] It has a rotational period of 1.1 seconds and emits both radio waves and X-rays.[8] Ongoing research at the University of Vermont discovered that the pulsar was found to flip roughly every few hours between a radio bright mode with highly organized pulsations and a quieter mode with rather chaotic temporal structure.[9][10]

Moreover, the observations of the pulsar performed simultaneously with the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton X-ray observatory and ground-based radio telescopes revealed that it exhibits variations in its X-ray emission that mimic in reverse the changes seen in radio waves – the pulsar has a weaker non-pulsing X-ray luminosity during the radio bright mode and is actually brighter during the radio quiet mode emitting distinct X-ray pulses.[10] Such changes can only be explained if the pulsar's magnetosphere (which may extend up to 52,000 km from the surface) quickly switches between two extreme states.[7] The change happens on a few seconds timescale, far faster than most pulsars. Despite being one of the first pulsars discovered, the mechanism for its unusual behavior is unknown.[9]

In 2006, a research group from Peking University published a paper suggesting that the pulsar may actually be a low-mass quark star with mass around 0.02 M.[11]

Planetary system

In May 2014, two gas giants were found orbiting PSR B0943+10.[12][3][13]

The PSR B0943+10 planetary system
Companion
(in order from star)
Mass Semimajor axis
(AU)
Orbital period
(days)
Eccentricity Inclination Radius
b 2.8 MJ 1.8 730
c 2.6 MJ 2.9 1,460

Notes

  1. Blackbody temperature of a small emitting area at the poles
  2. Characteristic age

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 PSR B0943+10 -- Pulsar in SIMBAD
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Zang, Bing; Sanwal, Divas; Pavlov, George G. (2005). "An XMM-Newton Observation of the Drifting Pulsar B0943+10". Astrophysical Journal 624 (2): L109–L112. doi:10.1086/430522. Bibcode2005ApJ...624L.109Z. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 "The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia Planet PSR B0943+10 c"
  4. G.S. Mudur (25 January 2013). "Pune telescope spots Jekyll & Hyde puzzle in sky". http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130125/jsp/nation/story_16483828.jsp. 
  5. Shklovsky, Iosif (1970). "Rozhdyonnye katastrofoi" (in ru). Evrika-70. Moscow: Molodaya Gvardiya. pp. 16. 
  6. Braude, S. Y., ed (2012). A Brief History of Radio Astronomy in the USSR. A Collection of Scientific Essays. Astrophysics and Space Science Library. 382. 382. Springer. pp. 45. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-2834-9. ISBN 978-94-007-2833-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=3DqOARyWib4C&pg=PA45. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 ESA (25 January 2013). "Baffling pulsar leaves astronomers in the dark". Astronomy.com. http://www.astronomy.com/~/link.aspx?_id=418c617f-ff97-4a7c-b34b-6f6c72ae6049. 
  8. Elizabeth Howell (24 January 2013). "Weird Spinning Star Defies Explanation". Space.com. http://www.space.com/19418-weird-pulsar-defies-theories.html. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 Staff (24 January 2013). "Chameleon Pulsar Dramatically Changes the Way It Shines". Sciencedaily.com. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130124150802.htm. 
  10. 10.0 10.1 Hermsen, W.; Hessels, J. W. T.; Kuiper, L.; Van Leeuwen, J.; Mitra, D.; De Plaa, J.; Rankin, J. M.; Stappers, B. W. et al. (2013). "Synchronous X-ray and Radio Mode Switches: A Rapid Global Transformation of the Pulsar Magnetosphere". Science 339 (6118): 436–439. doi:10.1126/science.1230960. PMID 23349288. Bibcode2013Sci...339..436H. 
  11. Yue, Y. L.; Cui, X. H.; Xu, R. X. (2006). "Is PSR B0943+10 a low-mass quark star?". Astrophysical Journal 649 (2): L95. doi:10.1086/508421. Bibcode2006ApJ...649L..95Y. 
  12. Suleymanova, S. A.; Rodin, A. E. (2014). "Detection of regular variations in the intensity and pulse time of arrival of the anomalous pulsar PSR B0943+10". Astronomy Reports 58 (11): 796–807. doi:10.1134/S1063772914110067. Bibcode2014ARep...58..796S. 
  13. "The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia Planet PSR B0943+10 b"