Quasi-periodic X-ray brightness fluctuations in an accreting millisecond pulsar

Abstract

The relativistic plasma flows onto neutron stars that are accreting material from stellar companions can be used to probe strong-field gravity as well as the physical conditions in the supranuclear-density interiors of neutron stars. Plasma inhomogeneities orbiting a few kilometres above the stars are observable as X-ray brightness fluctuations on the millisecond dynamical timescale of the flows. Two frequencies in the kilohertz range dominate these fluctuations: the twin kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs). Competing models for the origins of these oscillations (based on orbital motions) all predict that they should be related to the stellar spin frequency, but tests have been difficult because the spins were not unambiguously known. Here we report the detection of kHz QPOs from a pulsar whose spin frequency is known. Our measurements establish a clear link between kHz QPOs and stellar spin, but one not predicted by any current model. A new approach to understanding kHz QPOs is now required. We suggest that a resonance between the spin and general relativistic orbital and epicyclic frequencies could provide the observed relation between QPOs and spin.

arXiv commentPublished in the 2003 July 3 issue of Nature

References in corpus (18)

• Lense-Thirring Precession and QPOs in Low Mass X-Ray Binaries
• Millisecond Oscillations in X-Ray Binaries
• Sonic-Point Model of Kilohertz Quasi-Periodic Brightness Oscillations in Low-Mass X-ray Binaries
• kHz Quasi Periodic Oscillations in Low Mass X-ray Binaries as Probes of General Relativity in the Strong Field Regime
• Nuclear-Powered Millisecond Pulsars and the Maximum Spin Frequency of Neutron Stars
• Non-linear resonance in nearly geodesic motion in low-mass X-ray binaries
• Kilohertz QPO Peak Separation Is Not Constant in Scorpius X-1
• Mechanisms for High-frequency QPOs in Neutron Star and Black Hole Binaries
• Kilohertz Quasi-Periodic Oscillation Peak Separation is not Constant in the Atoll Source 4U 1608-52
• The Amplitude Evolution and Harmonic Content of Millisecond Oscillations in Thermonuclear X-ray Bursts
• Changing Frequency Separation of Kilohertz Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in the Sonic-Point Beat-Frequency Model
• Difference Frequency of Kilohertz QPOs Not Equal to Half the Burst Oscillation Frequency in 4U 1636-53
• KiloHertz quasi-periodic oscillations difference frequency exceeds inferred spin frequency in 4U 1636-53
• The physics of kHz QPOs---strong gravity's coupled anharmonic oscillators
• Kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations in low mass X-ray binary sources and their relation with the neutron star magnetic field
• Models of Quasi-Periodic Variability in Neutron Stars and Black Holes
• On the Origin of Quasi-Periodic Oscillations and Broad-band Noise in Accreting Neutron Stars and Black Holes
• On the Disappearance of Kilohertz Quasi-Periodic Oscillations at a High Mass Accretion Rate in Low-Mass X-ray Binaries

Cited by in corpus (96)

• Detecting gravitational wave emission from the known accreting neutron stars
• Setting upper limits on the strength of periodic gravitational waves using the first science data from the GEO600 and LIGO detectors
• The long-term evolution of the spin, pulse shape, and orbit of the accretion-powered millisecond pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658
• The bottom magnetic field and magnetosphere evolution of neutron star in low mass X-ray binary
• Discovery of the accretion-powered millisecond X-ray pulsar IGR J00291+5934
• Accretion Onto Fast X-Ray Pulsars
• Excitation of Disk Oscillations by Warps: A Model of kHz QPOs
• An abrupt drop in the coherence of the lower kilohertz QPO in 4U 1636-536
• Gravitational Waves: Sources, Detectors and Searches
• Non-linear resonance in the accretion disk of a millisecond pulsar
• X-ray time variability across the atoll source states of 4U 1636--53
• Constraints on Thermal X-ray Radiation from SAX J1808.4-3658 and Implications for Neutron Star Neutrino Emission
• Orbital Evolution of an Accreting Millisecond Pulsar: Witnessing the Banquet of a Hidden Black Widow?
• Modelling the spin equilibrium of neutron stars in LMXBs without gravitational radiation
• Relations Between Timing Features and Colors in Accreting Millisecond Pulsars
• A decade of timing an accretion-powered millisecond pulsar: The continuing spin down and orbital evolution of SAX J1808.4-3658
• Accretion, Outflows, and Winds of Magnetized Stars
• Resonance in Forced Oscillations of an Accretion Disk and Kilohertz Quasi Periodic Oscillations
• A Hot Water Bottle for Aging Neutron Stars
• Accreting Millisecond X-Ray Pulsars
• Quasi-Periodic Oscillations from Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability at a Disk-Magnetosphere Interface
• On the kHz QPO frequency correlations in bright neutron star X-ray binaries
• Indirect evidence for an active radio pulsar in the quiescent state of the transient ms pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658
• Measurement of neutron star parameters: a review of methods for low-mass X-ray binaries
• Is there a link between the neutron-star spin and the frequency of the kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations?
• The correlations between the twin kHz QPO frequencies of LMXBs
• Gravitational Waves and the Maximum Spin Frequency of Neutron Stars
• Discovery of kHz QPOs and shifted frequency correlations in the accreting millisecond pulsar XTE J1807--294
• Swift observations of SAX J1808.4-3658: monitoring the return to quiescence
• Variability Profiles of Millisecond X-Ray Pulsars: Results of Pseudo-Newtonian 3D MHD Simulations
• Discovery of an accreting millisecond pulsar in the eclipsing binary system Swift J1749.4-2807
• Radio pulse search and X-Ray monitoring of SAX J1808.4-3658: What Causes its Orbital Evolution?
• The correlations between the spin frequencies and kHz QPOs of Neutron Stars in LMXBs
• Discovery of the upper kilo-Hz QPO from the X-ray transient Aql X-1
• Cosmic recycling of millisecond pulsars
• Evidence of a decrease of kHz QPO peak separation towards low frequencies in 4U 1728-34 (GX 354-0)
• Drop of coherence of the lower kilo-Hz QPO in neutron stars: is there a link with the innermost stable circular orbit?
• A model for the Z-track phenomenon in GX 5-1 and observational evidence for the physical origins of the kHz QPO
• An observational review of accretion-driven millisecond X-ray pulsars
• Investigation of the emission radii of kHz QPOs for the accreting millisecond X-Ray pulsars, Atoll and Z sources
• An explanation for the kHz-QPO twin peaks separation in slow and fast rotators
• Frequency spectrum of gravitational radiation from global hydromagnetic oscillations of a magnetically confined mountain on an accreting neutron star
• A fast search strategy for gravitational waves from low-mass X-ray binaries
• Type I X-ray bursts, burst oscillations and kHz quasi-periodic oscillations in the neutron star system IGR J17191-2821
• The optical counterpart of XTE J0929-314, the third transient millisecond X-ray pulsar
• Discovery of the INTEGRAL X/Gamma-ray transient IGR J00291+5934: a Comptonised accreting ms pulsar ?
• Of NBOs and kHz QPOs: a low-frequency modulation in resonant oscillations of relativistic accretion disks
• Oscillations of Thick Accretion Discs Around Black Holes
• A Model for Twin Kilohertz Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in Neutron Star Low-Mass X-Ray Binaries
• Pulse amplitude depends on kHz QPO frequency in the accreting millisecond pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658
• Wave Excitation in Disks Around Rotating Magnetic Stars
• Timing Features of the Accretion--driven Millisecond X-Ray Pulsar XTE J1807--294 in 2003 March Outburst
• The aperiodic X-ray variability of the accreting millisecond pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658
• Upper-twin-peak quasiperiodic oscillation in x-ray binaries and the energy from tidal circularization of relativistic orbits
• Timing and spectral properties of the accreting millisecond pulsar SWIFT J1756.9-2508
• Oscillations of Thick Accretion Discs Around Black Holes - II
• A transient I band excess in the optical spectrum of the accreting millisecond pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658
• Statistical properties of twin kHz QPO in neutron star LMXBs
• Quasi-periodic oscillations as global hydrodynamic modes in the boundary layers of viscous accretion disks
• The AstroSat observation of accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658 during its 2019 outburst
• Innermost stable circular orbits around magnetized rotating massive stars
• Sidebands to the lower kilohertz QPO in 4U1636-53
• QPOs in Cataclysmic Variables and in X-ray Binaries
• Accreting Neutron Stars in Low-Mass X-Ray Binary Systems
• Millisecond Pulsars in X-Ray Binaries
• Possible twin kHz Quasi Periodic Oscillations in the accreting millisecond X-ray Pulsar IGR J17511-3057
• 2D and 3D MHD Simulations of Disk Accretion by Rotating Magnetized Stars: Search for Variability
• Discovery of 1-5 Hz flaring at high luminosity in SAX J1808.4-3658
• Precision Ephemerides For Gravitational Wave Searches: II. Cyg X-2
• A toy model for coupling accretion disk oscillations to the neutron star spin
• Constraints on kHz QPO models and stellar EOSs from SAX J1808.4-3658, Cyg X-2 and 4U 1820-30
• Quasi-periodic oscillations: Resonant shear Alfv`en waves in neutron star magnetospheres
• Highly coherent kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations from a neutron star X-ray binary EXO 1745-248
• Quasi-periodic oscillations, charge and the gravitomagnetic theory
• Kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations from neutron star spreading layers
• Simultaneous observations of a pair of kilohertz QPOs and a plausible 1860 Hz QPO from an accreting neutron star system
• Quasi-Periodic Oscillations Resonantly Induced on Spin-Induced Deformed-Disks of Neutron Stars
• Correlations between the frequencies of twin kHz QPOs and spins of neutron stars in LMXBs
• The aperiodic timing behaviour of the accretion-driven millisecond pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658
• Detection of a 1258 Hz high-amplitude kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillation in the ultra-compact X-ray binary 1A 1246-588
• Detection of a strong ~2.5 Hz modulation in the Newly Discovered Millisecond Pulsar MAXI J1816-195
• Discovery of twin kHz quasi periodic oscillations in the low mass X-ray binary XTE J1701-407
• Timing Properties of Shocked Accretion Flows around Neutron Stars in Presence of Cooling
• The emission positions of kHz QPOs and Kerr spacetime influence
• Magnetized SASI: its mechanism and possible connection to some QPOs in XRBs
• Detection of simultaneous QPO triplets in 4U 1728-34 and constraining the neutron star mass and moment of inertia
• A model for upper kHz QPO coherence of accreting neutron star
• Probing the accretion disc structure by the twin kHz QPOs and spins of neutron stars in LMXBs
• Resonance conditions
• The kHz QPOs of Neutron Stars and Millisecond Pulsars and Implications
• Forced Oscillations in Fluid Tori and Quasi-Periodic Oscillations
• X-ray Timing beyond the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer
• Production and evolution of millisecond X-ray and radio pulsars
• Study on Correlations between the Twin Kilohertz Quasi-periodic Oscillations in Low-mass X-ray Binaries
• Generalized Flows around Neutron Stars
• The stochastic X-ray variability of the accreting millisecond pulsar IGR J17062-6143