Open AccessPSR J1829+2456: a relativistic binary pulsar
Author(s) -
Champion D. J.,
Lorimer D. R.,
McLaughlin M. A.,
Cordes J. M.,
Arzoumanian Z.,
Weisberg J. M.,
Taylor J. H.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07862.x
Subject(s) - physics , binary pulsar , pulsar , neutron star , astrophysics , astronomy , millisecond pulsar , gravitational wave , ligo , binary number , binary star , pulsar planet , x ray pulsar , stars , arithmetic , mathematics
We report the discovery of a new binary pulsar, PSR J1829+2456, found during a mid‐latitude drift‐scan survey with the Arecibo telescope. Our initial timing observations show the 41‐ms pulsar to be in a 28‐h, slightly eccentric, binary orbit. The advance of periastron yr −1 is derived from our timing observations spanning 200 d. Assuming that the advance of periastron is purely relativistic and a reasonable range of neutron star masses for PSR J1829+2456, we constrain the companion mass to be between 1.22 and 1.38 M ⊙ , making it likely to be another neutron star. We also place a firm upper limit on the pulsar mass of 1.38 M ⊙ . The expected coalescence time due to gravitational wave emission is long (∼60 Gyr), and this system will not significantly impact upon calculations of merger rates that are relevant to upcoming instruments such as LIGO.