arXiv subjects

Matthew Bailes

Publications and source records attributed to Matthew Bailes.

79 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

The long and the short of it: modelling double neutron star and collapsar Galactic dynamics

The work presented here examines populations of double compact binary systems and tidally enhanced collapsars. We make use of BINPOP and BINKIN, two components of a recently developed population synthesis package. Results focus on correlations of both binary and spatial evolutionary population characteristics. Pulsar and long duration gamma-ray burst observations are used in concert with our models to draw the conclusions that: double neutron star binaries can merge rapidly on timescales of a few million years (much less than that found for the observed double neutron star population), common envelope evolution within these models is a very important phase in double neutron star formation, and observations of long gamma-ray burst projected distances are more centrally concentrated than our simulated coalescing double neutron star and collapsar Galactic populations. Better agreement is found with dwarf galaxy models although the outcome is strongly linked to the assumed birth radial distribution. The birth rate of the double neutron star population in our models range from 4-160 Myr^-1 and the merger rate ranges from 3-150 Myr^-1. The upper and lower limits of the rates results from including electron capture supernova kicks to neutron stars and decreasing the common envelope efficiency respectively. Our double black hole merger rates suggest that black holes should receive an asymmetric kick at birth.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2008

Populating the Galaxy with pulsars I: stellar & binary evolution

The computation of theoretical pulsar populations has been a major component of pulsar studies since the 1970s. However, the majority of pulsar population synthesis has only regarded isolated pulsar evolution. Those that have examined pulsar evolution within binary systems tend to either treat binary evolution poorly or evolve the pulsar population in an ad-hoc manner. Thus no complete and direct comparison with observations of the pulsar population within the Galactic disk has been possible to date. Described here is the first component of what will be a complete synthetic pulsar population survey code. This component is used to evolve both isolated and binary pulsars. Synthetic observational surveys can then be performed on this population for a variety of radio telescopes. The final tool used for completing this work will be a code comprised of three components: stellar/binary evolution, Galactic kinematics and survey selection effects. Results provided here support the need for further (apparent) pulsar magnetic field decay during accretion, while they conversely suggest the need for a re-evaluation of the assumed \textit{typical} MSP formation process. Results also focus on reproducing the observed $P\dot{P}$ diagram for Galactic pulsars and how this precludes short timescales for standard pulsar exponential magnetic field decay. Finally, comparisons of bulk pulsar population characteristics are made to observations displaying the predictive power of this code, while we also show that under standard binary evolutionary assumption binary pulsars may accrete much mass.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Gravitational-radiation losses from the pulsar-white-dwarf binary PSR J1141-6545

Pulsars in close binary orbit around another neutron star or a massive white dwarf make ideal laboratories for testing the predictions of gravitational radiation and self-gravitational effects. We report new timing measurements of the pulsar-white-dwarf binary PSR J1141-6545, providing strong evidence that such asymmetric systems have gravitational wave losses that are consistent with general relativity. The orbit is found to be decaying at a rate of $1.04\pm0.06$ times the general relativistic prediction and the Shapiro delay is consistent with the orbital inclination angle derived from scintillation measurements. The system provides a unique test-bed for tensor-scalar theories of gravity; our current measurements place stringent constraints in the theory space, with a limit of $α_0^2 < 2.1 \times 10^{-5}$ for weakly non-linear coupling and an asymptotic limit of $α_0^2 < 3.4 \times 10^{-6}$ for strongly non-linear coupling, where $α_0$ is the linear coupling strength of matter to an underlying scalar field. This asymptotic limit is nearly three times smaller than the Cassini bound ($α_0^2 \approx 10^{-5}$).

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arXiv2007

Furnishing the Galaxy with Pulsars

The majority of pulsar population synthesis studies performed to date have focused on isolated pulsar evolution. Those that have incorporated pulsar evolution within binary systems have tended to either treat binary evolution poorly of evolve the pulsar population in an ad-hoc manner. Here we present the first model of the Galactic field pulsar population that includes a comprehensive treatment of both binary and pulsar evolution. Synthetic observational surveys mimicking a variety of radio telescopes are then performed on this population. As such, a complete and direct comparison of model data with observations of the pulsar population within the Galactic disk is now possible. The tool used for completing this work is a code comprised of three components: stellar/binary evolution, Galactic kinematics and survey selection effects. Here we give a brief overview of the method and assumptions involved with each component. Some preliminary results are also presented as well as plans for future applications of the code.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

PSR J1738+0333: a new gravitational laboratory

We describe in this paper a new binary millisecond pulsar, PSR J1738+0333. Using Arecibo, we have achieved good timing accuracy for this object, about 220 ns for 1-hour integrations over 100 MHz. This allowed us to measure a precise proper motion, parallax and orbital parameters for this system. We highlight the system's potential for constraining alternative theories of gravitation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Curious properties of the recycled pulsars and the potential of high precision timing

Binary and Millisecond pulsars have a great deal to teach us about stellar evolution and are invaluable tools for tests of relativistic theories of gravity. Our understanding of these objects has been transformed by large-scale surveys that have uncovered a great deal of new objects, exquisitely timed by ever-improving instrumentation. Here we argue that there exists a fundamental relation between the spin period of a pulsar and its companion mass, and that this determines many of the observable properties of a binary pulsar. No recycled pulsars exist in which the minimum companion mass exceeds (P/10 ms) Solar Masses. Furthermore, the three fastest disk millisecond pulsars are either single, or possess extremely low-mass companions Mc~0.02 Mo, consistent with this relation. Finally, the four relativistic binaries for which we have actual measurements of neutron star masses, suggest that not only are their spin periods related to the companion neutron star mass, but that the kick imparted to the system depends upon it too, leading to a correlation between orbital eccentricity and spin period. The isolation of the relativistic binary pulsars in the magnetic field-period diagram is used to argue that this must be because the kicks imparted to proto-relativistic systems are usually small, leading to very few if any isolated runaway mildly-recycled pulsars. This calls into question the magnitude of supernova kicks in close binaries, which have been usually assumed to be similar to those imparted to the bulk of the pulsar population. Finally, we review some of the highlights of the Parkes precision timing efforts, which suggest 10 nanosecond timing is obtainable on PSR J1909-3744 that will aid us in searching for cosmological sources of gravitational waves.

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arXiv2001

High time-resolution observations of the Vela pulsar

We present high time resolution observations of single pulses from the Vela pulsar (PSR B0833-45) made with a baseband recording system at observing frequencies of 660 and 1413 MHz. We have discovered two startling features in the 1413 MHz single pulse data. The first is the presence of giant micro-pulses which are confined to the leading edge of the pulse profile. One of these pulses has a peak flux density in excess of 2500 Jy, more than 40 times the integrated pulse peak. The second new result is the presence of a large amplitude gaussian component on the trailing edge of the pulse profile. This component can exceed the main pulse in intensity but is switched on only relatively rarely. Fluctutation spectra reveal a possible periodicity in this feature of 140 pulse periods. Unlike the rest of the profile, this component has low net polarization and emits predominantly in the orthogonal mode. This feature appears to be unique to the Vela pulsar. We have also detected microstructure in the Vela pulsar for the first time. These same features are present in the 660 MHz data. We suggest that the full width of the Vela pulse profile might be as large as 10 ms but that the conal edges emit only rarely.

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