PSR J1446-4701 is a recently discovered radio and gamma-ray recycled pulsar in atight binary (binary period P_b=6.6 hr, projected separation of companions a sini = 1.7 Rsol). The very low minimum companion mass, 0.019 Msol, suggests thatthe pulsar is a black widow, whose wind and radiation are evaporating itscompanion. X-ray emission from such systems comes from the pulsar (thermal frompolar caps plus nonthermal from the magnetosphere), from the intrabinary shockformed by the interaction of the pulsar wind with the companion and theevaporated matter, and from an extended pulsar wind nebula. We proposeobservations of this system to separate the X-ray emission components, identifythe optical companion, and study the properties of the pulsar, its relativistic wind, and the ablated companion.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2012-08-01T20:01:42Z/2012-08-02T13:15:22Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Dr George Pavlov, 2013, 'X-ray and optical emission from a new black widow binary', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-sm1cxwb
