Formation of millisecond pulsars with CO white dwarf companions – I. PSR J1614−2230: evidence for a neutron star born massive

The recent discovery of a 2M binary millisecond pulsar not only has important consequences for the equation of state of nuclear matter at high densities but also raises the interesting question of whether the neutron star PSR J1614−2230 was born massive. The answer is vital for understanding neutron star formation in core collapse supernovae. Furthermore, this system raises interesting issues about the nature of the progenitor binary and how it evolved during its mass-exchanging X-ray phase. In this paper we discuss the progenitor evolution of PSR J1614−2230. We have performed detailed stellar evolution modelling of intermediatemass X-ray binaries undergoing Case A Roche lobe overflow (RLO) and applied an analytic parametrization for calculating the outcome of either a common envelope evolution or the highly super-Eddington isotropic re-emission mode. We find two viable possibilities for the formation of the PSR J1614−2230 system: either it contained a 2.2–2.6M giant donor star and evolved through a common envelope and spiral-in phase or, more likely, it descended from a close binary system with a 4.0–5.0M main-sequence donor star via Case A RLO.We conclude that the neutron star must have been born with a mass of either ∼1.95M or 1.7 ± 0.15M , which significantly exceeds neutron star birth masses in previously discovered radio pulsar systems. Based on the expected neutron star birth masses from considerations of stellar evolution and explosion models, we find it likely that the progenitor star of PSR J1614−2230 was more massive than 20M .

[1]  A. Loeb,et al.  Stellar black holes at the dawn of the universe , 2011, 1102.1891.

[2]  N. Ivanova,et al.  COMMON ENVELOPE: ON THE MASS AND THE FATE OF THE REMNANT , 2011, 1101.2863.

[3]  J. Orosz,et al.  REFINED NEUTRON STAR MASS DETERMINATIONS FOR SIX ECLIPSING X-RAY PULSAR BINARIES , 2011, 1101.2465.

[4]  S. Rappaport,et al.  LMXB AND IMXB EVOLUTION: I. THE BINARY RADIO PULSAR PSR J1614−2230 , 2010, 1012.1877.

[5]  S. Ransom,et al.  A two-solar-mass neutron star measured using Shapiro delay , 2010, Nature.

[6]  B. Paxton,et al.  On the α formalism for the common envelope interaction , 2010, 1010.4374.

[7]  J. Taylor,et al.  TIMING MEASUREMENTS OF THE RELATIVISTIC BINARY PULSAR PSR B1913+16 , 2010, 1011.0718.

[8]  Xiangdong Li,et al.  ERRATUM: “ON THE BINDING ENERGY PARAMETER λ OF COMMON ENVELOPE EVOLUTION” (2010, ApJ, 716, 114) , 2010 .

[9]  R. Breton,et al.  EVIDENCE FOR A MASSIVE NEUTRON STAR FROM A RADIAL-VELOCITY STUDY OF THE COMPANION TO THE BLACK-WIDOW PULSAR PSR B1957+20 , 2010, 1009.5427.

[10]  S. Rappaport,et al.  FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR THE BIMODAL DISTRIBUTION OF NEUTRON-STAR MASSES , 2010, 1006.4584.

[11]  B. Gansicke,et al.  Post-common-envelope binaries from SDSS. IX: Constraining the common-envelope efficiency , 2010, 1006.1621.

[12]  V. Kalogera,et al.  THE EFFECT OF STARBURST METALLICITY ON BRIGHT X-RAY BINARY FORMATION PATHWAYS , 2010, 1005.1639.

[13]  Kun Jia,et al.  The binding energy parameter for common envelope evolution , 2010, 1004.4957.

[14]  S. Woosley,et al.  TYPE Ib/c SUPERNOVAE IN BINARY SYSTEMS. I. EVOLUTION AND PROPERTIES OF THE PROGENITOR STARS , 2010, 1004.0843.

[15]  France,et al.  A PRECISE MASS MEASUREMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE-MASS BINARY PULSAR PSR J1802 − 2124 , 2010, 1002.0514.

[16]  C. Will.  The Confrontation Between General Relativity and Experiment , 2009 .

[17]  R. Lynch,et al.  A Radio Pulsar/X-ray Binary Link , 2009, Science.

[18]  N. Wex,et al.  The double pulsar system: a unique laboratory for gravity , 2009 .

[19]  Bonn,et al.  Multi-telescope timing of PSR J1518+4904 , 2008, 0808.2292.

[20]  N. Langer,et al.  The Supernova Channel of Super-AGB Stars , 2007, 0705.4643.

[21]  A. Claret,et al.  Does convective core overshooting depend on stellar mass? Tests using double-lined eclipsing binaries , 2007 .

[22]  N. Langer,et al.  Single star progenitors of long gamma-ray bursts - I. Model grids and redshift dependent GRB rate , 2006, astro-ph/0606637.

[23]  W. Lewin,et al.  Compact stellar X-ray sources , 2006 .

[24]  S. Rappaport,et al.  The Effects of Binary Evolution on the Dynamics of Core Collapse and Neutron Star Kicks , 2003, astro-ph/0309588.

[25]  Chris L. Fryer,et al.  How Massive Single Stars End Their Life , 2002, astro-ph/0212469.

[26]  J. Telting,et al.  The mass of the neutron star in Vela X-1 , 2001, astro-ph/0108237.

[27]  Philipp Podsiadlowski,et al.  Submitted to ApJ Preprint typeset using L ATEX style emulateapj v. 21/08/00 EVOLUTIONARY BINARY SEQUENCES FOR LOW- AND INTERMEDIATE-MASS X-RAY BINARIES , 2001 .

[28]  T. Tauris,et al.  Research Note On the binding energy parameter of common envelope evolution - Dependency on the definition of the stellar core boundary during spiral-in , 2001, astro-ph/0101530.

[29]  London,et al.  Mass-loss predictions for O and B stars as a function of metallicity , 2001, astro-ph/0101509.

[30]  E.P.J. van den Heuvel,et al.  The Neutron Star-Black Hole Connection , 2001 .

[31]  A. King,et al.  The minimum orbital period in thermal time-scale mass transfer , 2000, astro-ph/0009062.

[32]  T. Tauris,et al.  Formation of Millisecond Pulsars with Heavy White Dwarf Companions: Extreme Mass Transfer on Subthermal Timescales , 2000, The Astrophysical journal.

[33]  S. Rappaport,et al.  Cygnus X-2: The Descendant of an Intermediate-Mass X-Ray Binary , 1999, astro-ph/9906045.

[34]  S. Woosley,et al.  Presupernova Evolution of Rotating Massive Stars. I. Numerical Method and Evolution of the Internal Stellar Structure , 1999, astro-ph/9904132.

[35]  Chris L. Fryer.  Mass Limits For Black Hole Formation , 1999, astro-ph/9902315.

[36]  A. King,et al.  Cygnus X-2, super-Eddington mass transfer, and pulsar binaries , 1998, astro-ph/9812343.

[37]  R. Wijnands,et al.  A millisecond pulsar in an X-ray binary system , 1998, Nature.

[38]  D. Chakrabarty,et al.  Neutron Star Mass Measurements. I. Radio Pulsars , 1998, astro-ph/9803260.

[39]  J. Taylor,et al.  Measurement of Relativistic Orbital Decay in the PSR B1534+12 Binary System , 1997, astro-ph/9712296.

[40]  V. Kalogera.  Formation of Low-Mass X-Ray Binaries. III. A New Formation Mechanism: Direct Supernova , 1996, astro-ph/9608058.

[41]  F. Timmes,et al.  The Neutron star and black hole initial mass function , 1995, astro-ph/9510136.

[42]  The Dynamics and Outcomes of Rapid Infall onto Neutron Stars , 1995, astro-ph/9509144.

[43]  S. Woosley,et al.  The Evolution and Explosion of Massive Stars. II. Explosive Hydrodynamics and Nucleosynthesis , 1995 .

[44]  V. Kalogera,et al.  Formation of Low-Mass X-ray Binaries. I. Constraints on Hydrogen-Rich Donors at the Onset of the X-ray Phase , 1995, astro-ph/9508072.

[45]  S. Woosley,et al.  The Presupernova Evolution and Explosion of Helium Stars That Experience Mass Loss , 1995 .

[46]  P. Podsiadlowski,et al.  The formation of bipolar planetary nebulae and close white dwarf binaries , 1995 .

[47]  G. Brown.  Neutron star accretion and binary pulsar formation , 1995 .

[48]  P. Podsiadlowski,et al.  A possible criterion for envelope ejection in asymptotic giant branch or first giant branch stars , 1994 .

[49]  D. Lorimer,et al.  High birth velocities of radio pulsars , 1994, Nature.

[50]  E. Heuvel.  Interacting binaries: topics in close binary evolution. , 1994 .

[51]  M. Livio,et al.  COMMON ENVELOPES IN BINARY STAR EVOLUTION , 1993 .

[52]  R. Chevalier.  Neutron Star Accretion in a Stellar Envelope , 1993 .

[53]  D. Bhattacharya,et al.  Formation and evolution of binary and millisecond radio pulsars , 1991 .

[54]  M. Kool.  Common Envelope Evolution and Double Cores of Planetary Nebulae , 1990 .

[55]  M. S. Hjellming,et al.  Thresholds for rapid mass transfer in binary systems. I. Polytropic models , 1987 .

[56]  R. Webbink.  Double white dwarfs as progenitors of R Coronae Borealis stars and type I supernovae , 1984 .

[57]  P. Eggleton.  Approximations to the radii of Roche lobes , 1983 .

[58]  A. Cheng,et al.  A new class of radio pulsars , 1982, Nature.

[59]  V. Radhakrishnan,et al.  On the origin of the recently discovered ultra-rapid pulsar , 1982 .

[60]  S. Woosley,et al.  EVOLUTION AND EXPLOSION OF MASSIVE STARS * , 1978, Reviews of Modern Physics.

[61]  K. Thorne,et al.  Stars with degenerate neutron cores. I. structure of equilibrium models , 1977 .

[62]  P. Eggleton,et al.  Structure and Evolution of Close Binary Systems , 1976 .