Work

What are pulsar companions made of? Using gravitational tides to probe their compositions

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Low eccentricity, short orbital period pulsar companions may provide a probe to study novel dense and stable exoplanet internal compositions due to the potentially significant orbital evolution they experience caused by strong gravitational tides. We model the tidal characteristics such as apsidal motion constants, orbital precession, and tidal deformability for a variety of equations of state to be compared with values recovered via pulsar timing for a sample of four systems: PSR J1719-1438b, PSR J0636+5128b, PSR J2322+2650b, and PSR J1807-2459A b. With this method, we hope to place stringent limits on the chemical and structural composition of these objects. Through limiting the internal composition of pulsar companions, we aim to elucidate their unique history and formation.

Source: Physical review. D/Physical review. D.

DOI: 10.1103/mh8d-1b6b

Authors: Liam Colombo-Murphy, Lucas Brown, Stefano Profumo, M. Grant Roberts, Aya Westerling

Language: English

Topic: Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research

Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: U.S. Department of Energy

Award: RESEARCH IN PARTICLE PHYSICS

OpenAlex ID: W7150743908

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