Discovery of the radio and gamma-ray pulsar PSR J2339-0533 associated with the Fermi LAT bright source 0FGL J2339.8-0530
Abstract
We report the detection of radio and gamma-ray pulsations from the bright Fermi LAT source 0FGL J2339.8-0530. This source was one of the bright gamma-ray sources uncovered in the first 3 months of Fermi LAT survey mode observations. Deep X-ray and optical follow up observations led to the identification of the probable counterpart that showed all the characteristics of a millisecond pulsar in a 4.6 hour binary orbit, except for pulsations. We have discovered 2.88 ms radio pulsations in an observation with the NRAO Green Bank Telescope at 820 MHz, confirming this source as a pulsar and demonstrating that the companion was substantially more massive than models of the optical light curve had suggested. With the pulse period and orbital parameters highly constrained, we were then able to discover the gamma-ray pulsations in the LAT data, confirming the identification with 0FGL J2339.8-0530. Detailed timing of the pulsar using the LAT data provided a measurement of the spin down rate, showing that this is an energetic millisecond pulsar with spin down luminosity 2.3E34 erg/s. We discuss the improvement in our understanding of the system as a result of the radio and gamma-ray pulsation discoveries. The Fermi LAT Collaboration acknowledges support from a number of agencies and institutes for both development and the operation of the LAT as well as scientific data analysis. These include NASA and DOE in the United States, CEA/Irfu and IN2P3/CNRS in France, ASI and INFN in Italy, MEXT, KEK, and JAXA in Japan, and the K. A. Wallenberg Foundation, the Swedish Research Council and the National Space Board in Sweden. Additional support from INAF in Italy and CNES in France for science analysis during the operations phase is also gratefully acknowledged.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #223
- Pub Date:
- January 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014AAS...22314007R