Missing for 20 years: MeerKAT re-detects the elusive binary pulsar M30B

Abstract

PSR J2140$-$2311B is a 13-ms pulsar discovered in 2001 in a 7.8-hour Green Bank Telescope (GBT) observation of the core-collapsed globular cluster M30 and predicted to be in a highly eccentric binary orbit. This pulsar has eluded detection since then, therefore its precise orbital parameters have remained a mystery until now. In this work, we present the confirmation of this pulsar using observations taken with the UHF receivers of the MeerKAT telescope as part of the TRAPUM Large Survey Project. Taking advantage of the beamforming capability of our backends, we have localized it, placing it $1.2(1{)}^{\prime }$ from the cluster centre. Our observations have enabled the determination of its orbit: it is highly eccentric ($e=0.879$) with an orbital period of $6.2$ days. We also measured the rate of periastron advance, $\dot{\omega }=0.078\pm 0.002\mathrm{deg}\mathrm{y}{\mathrm{r}}^{-1}$. Assuming that this effect is fully relativistic, general relativity provides an estimate of the total mass of the system, $M_{\mathrm{TOT}}=2.53\pm 0.08$ M${}_{\odot }$, consistent with the lightest double neutron star systems known. Combining this with the mass function of the system gives the pulsar and companion masses of $m_p<1.43{\mathrm{M}}_{\odot }$ and $m_c>1.10{\mathrm{M}}_{\odot }$ respectively. The massive, undetected companion could either be a massive WD or a NS. M30B likely formed as a result of a secondary exchange encounter. Future timing observations will allow the determination of a phase-coherent timing solution, vastly improving our uncertainty in $\dot{\omega }$ and likely enabling the detection of additional relativistic effects which will determine $m_p$ and $m_c$.

Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters (ApJL)

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