A hierarchical triple star system in M4
The radio millisecond pulsar PSR B1620-26 is part of an extraordinary triple star system in the globular cluster M4. The inner companion to the neutron star is thought to be a white dwarf of mass m(1) similar or equal to 0.3 M-circle dot in an orbit of period similar or equal to 0.5 yr. The nature a...
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| Format: | Conference item |
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2001
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| _version_ | 1797072398507311104 |
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| author | Rasio, F |
| author_facet | Rasio, F |
| author_sort | Rasio, F |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | The radio millisecond pulsar PSR B1620-26 is part of an extraordinary triple star system in the globular cluster M4. The inner companion to the neutron star is thought to be a white dwarf of mass m(1) similar or equal to 0.3 M-circle dot in an orbit of period similar or equal to 0.5 yr. The nature and orbital characteristics of the second, more distant companion, have remained a mystery for many years. A theoretical analysis of the latest available radio pulsar timing data is presented here, allowing us to determine approximately the mass and orbital parameters of the second companion. Remarkably, the current best-fit parameters correspond to a second companion of planetary mass, with m(2)sin i(2) similar or equal to 7 x 10(-3) M-circle dot, in an orbit of eccentricity e(2) similar or equal to 0.45 and with a large semimajor axis a(2) similar or equal to 60 AU. The short dynamical lifetime of this very wide triple in M4 suggests that large numbers of such planets must be present in globular clusters. We also address the question of the anomalously high eccentricity of the inner binary pulsar. While this eccentricity could have been induced during the same dynamical interaction that created the triple, we find that it could also naturally arise from long-term secular perturbation effects in the triple, combining the general relativistic precession of the inner orbit with the Newtonian gravitational perturbation by the outer planet. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:07:10Z |
| format | Conference item |
| id | oxford-uuid:643f65bf-0c0d-4946-bdc3-7511dcd3fa51 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:07:10Z |
| publishDate | 2001 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:643f65bf-0c0d-4946-bdc3-7511dcd3fa512022-03-26T18:17:41ZA hierarchical triple star system in M4Conference itemhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_5794uuid:643f65bf-0c0d-4946-bdc3-7511dcd3fa51Symplectic Elements at Oxford2001Rasio, FThe radio millisecond pulsar PSR B1620-26 is part of an extraordinary triple star system in the globular cluster M4. The inner companion to the neutron star is thought to be a white dwarf of mass m(1) similar or equal to 0.3 M-circle dot in an orbit of period similar or equal to 0.5 yr. The nature and orbital characteristics of the second, more distant companion, have remained a mystery for many years. A theoretical analysis of the latest available radio pulsar timing data is presented here, allowing us to determine approximately the mass and orbital parameters of the second companion. Remarkably, the current best-fit parameters correspond to a second companion of planetary mass, with m(2)sin i(2) similar or equal to 7 x 10(-3) M-circle dot, in an orbit of eccentricity e(2) similar or equal to 0.45 and with a large semimajor axis a(2) similar or equal to 60 AU. The short dynamical lifetime of this very wide triple in M4 suggests that large numbers of such planets must be present in globular clusters. We also address the question of the anomalously high eccentricity of the inner binary pulsar. While this eccentricity could have been induced during the same dynamical interaction that created the triple, we find that it could also naturally arise from long-term secular perturbation effects in the triple, combining the general relativistic precession of the inner orbit with the Newtonian gravitational perturbation by the outer planet. |
| spellingShingle | Rasio, F A hierarchical triple star system in M4 |
| title | A hierarchical triple star system in M4 |
| title_full | A hierarchical triple star system in M4 |
| title_fullStr | A hierarchical triple star system in M4 |
| title_full_unstemmed | A hierarchical triple star system in M4 |
| title_short | A hierarchical triple star system in M4 |
| title_sort | hierarchical triple star system in m4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rasiof ahierarchicaltriplestarsysteminm4 AT rasiof hierarchicaltriplestarsysteminm4 |