SCIENCE SEMINAR
Evidence of Radio Ejection during the Formation of Binary Millisecond Pulsars
Ernie Dubeau
Bishop’s University
Friday, April 18, 2008
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
JOHNSON 200 (BWH)
The orbital period distribution of wide binary millisecond pulsars (BMSPs) points to a lack of systems with orbital periods of between 20 and 60 days. Some researchers have dismissed this property as a statistical fluke, but there is strong evidence that it is actually a legacy of radio ejection. Radio ejection causes the ablation of the pulsar’s companion by a relativistic jet that emanates from the pulsar. In fact, there is clear phenomenological evidence for this with the recent discovery of the partially eclipsing system PSR J1740-5340. In this talk, I will discuss the formation and evolution of BMSPs and show how the evolution of Red Giants (specifically the “Luminosity Bump”) naturally leads to the cessation of mass transfer from the donor and causes the pulsar to “turn on” thereby initiating the radio ejection phenomenon.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO BRING YOUR LUNCH!
