Abstract Observational evidence on binary and millisecond pulsars indicates that these neutrons starts have been “recycled” in binary systems, i.e. have been spun up by accretion after substantial decay of their surface magnetic fields. There are two groups of binary pulsars, the PSR 1913+16-group, which descended from massive X-ray binaries, and the PSR 1953+29-group, which descended from fairly wide low-mass X-ray binaries. At least several neutron stars in the second group have formed by the accretion-induced collapse of a massive white dwarf. The companion stars in both group of systems are expected to be dead stars, i.e. white dwarfts or neutron stars. The large total number of millisecond binary pulsars in the galaxy (≈104), indicates that magnetic fields of nuetron starts do not decay below a value of order 109 G. Single millisecond pulsars may have lost their companions in various ways. In globular clusters this is most likely to have happened as a conseqeunce of a collision induced by the passage of a third star. Of order 102 single millisecond pulsars may have been formed in this way, of which about one third escaped from their clusters. Single millisecond pulsars outside globular clusters may also have formed by coalescence with a close companion, most probably a white dwarf.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    From X-ray binaries to binary and millisecond pulsars


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 8 , 2-3 ; 355-365


    Publication date :

    1988-01-01


    Size :

    11 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    Binary and millisecond radio pulsars

    Manchester, R.N. | Online Contents | 2006


    Binary and millisecond radio pulsars

    Manchester, R. N. / COSPAR | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2006



    Accretion-powered millisecond pulsars

    Poutanen, J. / COSPAR | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2006


    Accretion-powered millisecond pulsars

    Poutanen, Juri | Online Contents | 2006