A Model of White Dwarf Pulsar AR Scorpii
Abstract
A 3.56 hr white dwarf (WD)-M dwarf (MD) close binary system, AR Scorpii, was recently reported to show pulsating emission in radio, IR, optical, and UV, with a 1.97 minute period, which suggests the existence of a WD with a rotation period of 1.95 minutes. We propose a model to explain the temporal and spectral characteristics of the system. The WD is a nearly perpendicular rotator, with both open field line beams sweeping the MD stellar wind periodically. A bow shock propagating into the stellar wind accelerates electrons in the wind. Synchrotron radiation of these shocked electrons can naturally account for the broadband (from radio to X-rays) spectral energy distribution of the system.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- November 2016
- DOI:
- 10.3847/2041-8205/831/1/L10
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1609.02508
- Bibcode:
- 2016ApJ...831L..10G
- Keywords:
-
- binaries: general;
- pulsars: general;
- radiation mechanisms: non-thermal;
- white dwarfs;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- 6 pages, 2 figures, ApJL accepted