A Chandra X-ray observatory study of PSR j1740-5340 and candidate millisecond pulsars in the globular cluster NGC 6397

Abstract

We present a deep Chandra X-ray Observatory study of the peculiar binary radio millisecond pulsar (MSP) PSR J1740-5340 and candidate millisecond pulsars in the globular cluster NGC 6397. The X-rays from PSR J1740-5340 appear to be non-thermal and exhibit variability at the binary period. These properties suggest the presence of a relativistic intrabinary shock formed due to interaction of a relativistic rotation-powered pulsar wind and outflow from the unusual "red-straggler/sub-subgiant" companion. We find the X-ray source U18 to show similar X-ray and optical properties to those of PSR J1740-5340, making it a strong MSP candidate. It exhibits variability on timescales from hours to years, also consistent with an intrabinary shock origin of its X-ray emission. The unprecedented depth of the X-ray data allows us to conduct a complete census of MSPs in NGC 6397. Based on the properties of the present sample of X-ray-detected MSPs in the Galaxy, we find that NGC 6397 probably hosts no more than six MSPs. © 2010. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.