Low-radio-frequency eclipses of the redback pulsar J2215+5135 observed in the image plane with LOFAR.
The eclipses of certain types of binary millisecond pulsars (i.e. 'black widows' and 'redbacks') are often studied using high-time-resolution, 'beamformed' radio observations. However, they may also be detected in images generated from interferometric data. As part of a larger imaging project to characterize the variable and transient sky at radio frequencies <200 MHz, we have blindly detected the redback system PSR J2215+5135 as a variable source of interest with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR). Using observations with cadences of two weeks - six months, we find preliminary evidence that the eclipse duration is frequency dependent (∝ν-0.4), such that the pulsar is eclipsed for longer at lower frequencies, in broad agreement with beamformed studies of other similar sources. Furthermore, the detection of the eclipses in imaging data suggests an eclipsing medium that absorbs the pulsed emission, rather than scattering it. Our study is also a demonstration of the prospects of finding pulsars in wide-field imaging surveys with the current generation of low-frequency radio telescopes.
Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH, UK; Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK; ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, Postbus 2, NL-7990 AA Dwingeloo, the Netherlands.
J W
JW
Broderick
Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH, UK; Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
R P
RP
Fender
Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
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RP
Breton
Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH, UK; Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
A J
AJ
Stewart
ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, Postbus 2, NL-7990 AA Dwingeloo, the Netherlands; Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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A
Rowlinson
Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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JD
Swinbank
ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, Postbus 2, NL-7990 AA Dwingeloo, the Netherlands; Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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JW
Hessels
Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH, UK; Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
T D
TD
Staley
Department of Physics, The George Washington University, 725 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
A J
AJ
van der Horst
CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, PO Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO), The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
M E
ME
Bell
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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D
Carbone
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Cendes
Laboratoire AIM (CEA/IRFU - CNRS/INSU - Université Paris Diderot), CEA DSM/IRFU/SAp, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; Station de Radioastronomie de Nançay, Observatoire de Paris, CNRS/INSU, USR 704 - Univ. Orléans, OSUC, F-18330 Nançay, France.
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S
Corbel
Thüringer Landessternwarte, Sternwarte 5, D-07778 Tautenburg, Germany.
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J
Eislöffel
Department of Astrophysics/IMAPP, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9010, NL-6500 GL Nijmegen, the Netherlands; ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, Postbus 2, NL-7990 AA Dwingeloo, the Netherlands.
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Falcke
LPC2E - Université d'Orléans/CNRS, F-45071 Orléans cedex 2, France; Station de Radioastronomie de Nançay, Observatoire de Paris, CNRS/INSU, USR 704 - Univ. Orléans, OSUC, F-18330 Nançay, France.
J-M
JM
Grießmeier
Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH, UK; Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
T E
TE
Hassall
SRON, Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Sorbonnelaan 2, NL-3584 CA Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Astrophysics/IMAPP, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9010, NL-6500 GL Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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Jonker
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, Germany; Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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M
Kramer
NAOJ Chile Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, Japan.
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Kuniyoshi
Department of Astronomy and Radio Astronomy Lab, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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CJ
Law
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Markoff
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Physics and Electronics, Rhodes University, PO Box 94, Grahamstown 6140 South Africa.
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GJ
Molenaar
Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH, UK; Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
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Pietka
Centrum Wiskunde and Informatica, Science Park 123, NL-1098 XG Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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LH
Scheers
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa; SKA South Africa, 3rd Floor, The Park, Park Road, Pinelands 7405, South Africa.
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M
Serylak
Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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BW
Stappers
ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, Postbus 2, NL-7990 AA Dwingeloo, the Netherlands.
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Ter Veen
ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, Postbus 2, NL-7990 AA Dwingeloo, the Netherlands; Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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J
van Leeuwen
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
R A M J
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Wijers
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Wijnands
ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, Postbus 2, NL-7990 AA Dwingeloo, the Netherlands; Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Wise
LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, CNRS, UPMC, Université Paris-Diderot, 5 place Jules Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France; Station de Radioastronomie de Nançay, Observatoire de Paris, CNRS/INSU, USR 704 - Univ. Orléans, OSUC, F-18330 Nançay, France.
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Zarka
binaries: eclipsing; pulsars: general; pulsars: individual: PSR J2215+5135; radio continuum: stars