PSR J0045-7314: A Massive Radio Pulsar Binary in the Small Magellanic Cloud

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Session 93 -- Pulsars
Oral presentation, Friday, January 14, 10:15-11:45, Crystal Forum Room (Crystal City Marriott)

[93.01] PSR J0045-7314: A Massive Radio Pulsar Binary in the Small Magellanic Cloud

V.M.Kaspi (Princeton), S.Johnston, R.N.Manchester, M.Bailes (ATNF), J.F.Bell, M.Bessell (MSO), A.G.Lyne (Jodrell), N.D'Amico (Bologna)

We report on the discovery of regular Doppler shifts of the pulse period of PSR J0045-7319, the only known pulsar in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Our observations imply that the pulsar is in a highly eccentric 51-day binary orbit with a companion star having mass greater than 4M$_{\odot}$. No regular eclipses of the pulsed signal are observed. Optical observations in the direction of the pulsar reveal a B star with probable mass near 10M$_{\odot}$. We conclude that the B star is the companion to the pulsar. Timing observations of PSR J0045-7319 imply that it has not been spun up by accretion from the companion. Like the PSR B1259-63 binary system, this system is a likely X-ray binary progenitor.

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