The Bursting Pulsar GRO J1744−28: the slowest transitional pulsar?

Abstract GRO J1744−28 (the Bursting Pulsar) is a neutron star low-mass X-ray binary which shows highly structured X-ray variability near the end of its X-ray outbursts. In this letter we show that this variability is analogous to that seen in Transitional Millisecond Pulsars such as PSR J1023+0038:...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Letters 2018-06, Vol.477 (1), p.L106-L110
Main Authors: Court, J M C, Altamirano, D, Sanna, A
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Abstract GRO J1744−28 (the Bursting Pulsar) is a neutron star low-mass X-ray binary which shows highly structured X-ray variability near the end of its X-ray outbursts. In this letter we show that this variability is analogous to that seen in Transitional Millisecond Pulsars such as PSR J1023+0038: ‘missing link’ systems consisting of a pulsar nearing the end of its recycling phase. As such, we show that the Bursting Pulsar may also be associated with this class of objects. We discuss the implications of this scenario; in particular, we discuss the fact that the Bursting Pulsar has a significantly higher spin period and magnetic field than any other known transitional pulsar. If the Bursting Pulsar is indeed transitional, then this source opens a new window of opportunity to test our understanding of these systems in an entirely unexplored physical regime.
ISSN:1745-3925
1745-3933
DOI:10.1093/mnrasl/sly056