Open AccessOn the nature of the intermittent pulsar PSR B1931+24
Author(s) -
Rea N.,
Kramer M.,
Stella L.,
Jonker P. G.,
Bassa C. G.,
Groot P. J.,
Israel G. L.,
Méndez M.,
Possenti A.,
Lyne A.
Publication year - 2008
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.1365-2966.2008.13795.x
Subject(s) - physics , pulsar , astrophysics , astronomy , binary pulsar , pulsar planet , observatory , luminosity , millisecond pulsar , x ray pulsar , neutron star , orbit (dynamics) , galaxy , engineering , aerospace engineering
PSR B1931+24 is the first intermittent radio pulsar discovered to date, characterized by a 0.8‐s pulsation, which turns on and off quasi‐periodically every ∼35 d, with a duty cycle of ∼10 per cent. Here, we present X‐ray and optical observations of PSR B1931+24 performed with the Chandra X‐ray Observatory and the Isaac Newton Telescope, respectively. Simultaneous monitoring from the Jodrell Bank Observatory showed that this intermittent pulsar was in the radio‐on phase during our observations. We do not find any X‐ray or optical counterpart to PSR B1931+24, translating into an upper limit of ∼2 × 10 31 erg s −1 on the X‐ray luminosity, and of g ′ > 22.6 on the optical magnitude. If the pulsar is isolated, these limits cannot constrain the dim X‐ray and optical emission expected for a pulsar of this age (∼1.6 Myr). We discuss the possibility that the quasi‐periodic intermittent behaviour of PSR B1931+24 is a result of the presence of a low‐mass companion star or gaseous planet, tight with the pulsar in an eccentric orbit. In order to constrain the parameters of this putative binary system, we reanalysed the pulsar radio timing residuals. We found that (if indeed hosted in a binary system) PSR B1931+24 should have a very low‐mass companion and an orbit of low inclination.