Mode changing in J1909−3744: the most precisely timed pulsar

We present baseband radio observations of the millisecond pulsar J1909−3744, the most precisely timed pulsar, using the MeerKAT telescope as part of the MeerTime pulsar timing array campaign. During a particularly bright scintillation event the pulsar showed strong evidence of pulse mode changing, among the first millisecond pulsars and the shortest duty cycle millisecond pulsar to do so. Two modes appear to be present, with the weak (lower signal-to-noise ratio) mode arriving 9.26 ±3.94 μs earlier than the strong counterpart. Further, we present a new value of the jitter noise for this pulsar of 8.20 ± 0.14 ns in one hour, finding it to be consistent with previous measurements taken with the MeerKAT (9 ± 3 ns) and Parkes (8.6 ± 0.8 ns) telescopes, but inconsistent with the previously most precise measurement taken with the Green Bank telescope (14 ± 0.5 ns). Timing analysis on the individual modes is carried out for this pulsar, and we find an approximate $10\%$ improvement in the timing precision is achievable through timing the strong mode only as opposed to the full sample of pulses. By forming a model of the average pulse from templates of the two modes, we time them simultaneously and demonstrate that this timing improvement can also be achieved in regular timing observations. We discuss the impact an improvement of this degree on this pulsar would have on searches for the stochastic gravitational wave background, as well as the impact of a similar improvement on all MeerTime PTA pulsars.

Quasi-simultaneous Radio/X-Ray Observations of the Candidate Transitional Millisecond Pulsar 3FGL J1544.6−1125 during its Low-luminosity Accretion-disk State

3FGL J1544.6−1125 is a candidate transitional millisecond pulsar (tMSP). Similar to the well-established tMSPs—PSR J1023+0038, IGR J18245−2452, and XSS J12270−4859—3FGL J1544.6−1125 shows γ-ray emission and discrete X-ray “low” and “high” modes during its low-luminosity accretion-disk state. Coordinated radio/X-ray observations of PSR J1023+0038 in its current low-luminosity accretion-disk state showed rapidly variable radio continuum emission—possibly originating from a compact, self-absorbed jet, the “propellering” of accretion material, and/or pulsar moding. 3FGL J1544.6−1125 is currently the only other (candidate) tMSP system in this state, and can be studied to see whether tMSPs are typically radio-loud compared to other neutron star binaries. In this work, we present a quasi-simultaneous Very Large Array and Swift radio/X-ray campaign on 3FGL J1544.6−1125. We detect 10 GHz radio emission varying in flux density from 47.7 ± 6.0 μJy down to ≲15 μJy (3σ upper limit) at four epochs spanning three weeks. At the brightest epoch, the radio luminosity is L 5 GHz = (2.17 ± 0.17) × 1027 erg s−1 for a quasi-simultaneous X-ray luminosity L 2–10 keV = (4.32 ± 0.23) × 1033 erg s−1 (for an assumed distance of 3.8 kpc). These luminosities are close to those of PSR J1023+0038, and the results strengthen the case that 3FGL J1544.6−1125 is a tMSP showing similar phenomenology to PSR J1023+0038.

Search for Very High-energy Emission from the Millisecond Pulsar PSR J0218+4232

PSR J0218+4232 is one of the most energetic millisecond pulsars known and has long been considered as one of the best candidates for very high-energy (VHE; >100 GeV) γ-ray emission. Using 11.5 yr of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) data between 100 MeV and 870 GeV, and ∼90 hr of Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov (MAGIC) observations in the 20 GeV to 20 TeV range, we searched for the highest energy γ-ray emission from PSR J0218+4232. Based on the analysis of the LAT data, we find evidence for pulsed emission above 25 GeV, but see no evidence for emission above 100 GeV (VHE) with MAGIC. We present the results of searches for γ-ray emission, along with theoretical modeling, to interpret the lack of VHE emission. We conclude that, based on the experimental observations and theoretical modeling, it will remain extremely challenging to detect VHE emission from PSR J0218+4232 with the current generation of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes, and maybe even with future ones, such as the Cherenkov Telescope Array.

X-ray and Radio Studies of the candidate Millisecond Pulsar Binary 4FGL J0935.3+0901

4FGL J0935.5+0901, a γ-ray source recently identified as a candidate redback-type millisecond pulsar binary (MSP), shows an interesting feature of having double-peaked emission lines in its optical spectrum. The feature would further suggest the source as a transitional MSP system in the sub-luminous disk state. We have observed the source with XMM-Newton and Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) at X-ray and radio frequencies respectively for further studies. From the X-ray observation, a bimodal count-rate distribution, which is a distinctive feature of the transitional MSP systems, is not detected, while the properties of X-ray variability and power-law spectrum are determined for the source. These results help establish the consistency of it being a redback in the radio pulsar state. However no radio pulsation signals are found in the FAST observation, resulting an upper limit on the flux density of ∼ 4 µJy. Implications of these results are discussed.

Simultaneous X-ray and radio observations of the transitional millisecond pulsar candidate CXOU J110926.4–650224

We present the results of simultaneous observations of the transitional millisecond pulsar (tMSP) candidate CXOU J110926.4–650224 with the XMM-Newton satellite and the MeerKAT telescope. The source was found at an average X-ray luminosity of LX ≃ 7 × 1033 erg s−1 over the 0.3−10 keV band (assuming a distance of 4 kpc) and displayed a peculiar variability pattern in the X-ray emission, switching between high, low and flaring modes on timescales of tens of seconds. A radio counterpart was detected at a significance of 7.9σ with an average flux density of ≃33 μJy at 1.28 GHz. It showed variability over the course of hours and emitted a ≃10-min long flare just a few minutes after a brief sequence of multiple X-ray flares. No clear evidence for a significant correlated or anticorrelated variability pattern was found between the X-ray and radio emissions over timescales of tens of minutes and longer. CXOU J110926.4–650224 was undetected at higher radio frequencies in subsequent observations performed with the Australia Telescope Compact Array, when the source was still in the same X-ray sub-luminous state observed before, down to a flux density upper limit of 15 μJy at 7.25 GHz (at 3σ). We compare the radio emission properties of CXOU J110926.4–650224 with those observed in known and candidate tMSPs and discuss physical scenarios that may account for its persistent and flaring radio emissions.