A Massive and Eccentric Binary Millisecond Pulsar in the Globular Cluster M10

Abstract We present the timing solution of the millisecond pulsar PSR J1657−0406A in the globular cluster M10, based on observations performed with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST). The timing results show that PSR J1657−0406A is in a long-period ( P b ∼ 37 days) and eccentric ( e ∼ 0.12) orbit. We also measured the periastron advance ω ̇ = 0.00090 ( 13 ) deg yr −1 , which implies a total system mass of 2.5(6) M ⊙ by assuming that general relativity accurately models the orbital motion. No optical counterpart was detected within the positional uncertainty, indicating that the companion is unlikely to be a main-sequence star. Considering possible formation channels for the orbital eccentricity, we favor a helium white dwarf companion, although a massive white dwarf or neutron star cannot be completely excluded.

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Publication Details

Journal
The Astrophysical Journal
Published
2026-10-29
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aea6af
Primary Topic
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

A Massive and Eccentric Binary Millisecond Pulsar in the Globular Cluster M10

Zhongli Zhang, Zhichen Pan, Lijing Shao, Lei Qian et al.
The Astrophysical Journal
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
article

A Massive and Eccentric Binary Millisecond Pulsar in the Globular Cluster M10

Zhongli Zhang, Zhichen Pan, Lijing Shao, Lei Qian, Yujie Wang, Dejiang Yin, Yujie Lian
article en

Abstract

Abstract We present the timing solution of the millisecond pulsar PSR J1657−0406A in the globular cluster M10, based on observations performed with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST). The timing results show that PSR J1657−0406A is in a long-period ( P b ∼ 37 days) and eccentric ( e ∼ 0.12) orbit. We also measured the periastron advance ω ̇ = 0.00090 ( 13 ) deg yr −1 , which implies a total system mass of 2.5(6) M ⊙ by assuming that general relativity accurately models the orbital motion. No optical counterpart was detected within the positional uncertainty, indicating that the companion is unlikely to be a main-sequence star. Considering possible formation channels for the orbital eccentricity, we favor a helium white dwarf companion, although a massive white dwarf or neutron star cannot be completely excluded.

The Astrophysical JournalVol. 1011(1)
Guizhou University (CN), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Peking University (CN), Beijing Normal University (CN), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Space Telescope Science Institute, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Youth Innovation Promotion Association, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology
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Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
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