Binary and Millisecond Pulsars

TL;DR

This review summarizes recent advances in the study of binary and millisecond pulsars, highlighting new discoveries, demographic data, and their astrophysical applications, driven by extensive survey efforts.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of pulsar properties, demographics, and recent discoveries, emphasizing the impact of surveys on understanding these objects.

Findings

Over 1800 known pulsars, including 83 binary and millisecond pulsars in the Galactic disk.

Discovery of the young relativistic binary PSR J1906+0746.

Identification of pulsars with masses exceeding 1.5 solar masses.

Abstract

We review the main properties, demographics and applications of binary and millisecond radio pulsars. Our knowledge of these exciting objects has greatly increased in recent years, mainly due to successful surveys which have brought the known pulsar population to over 1800. There are now 83 binary and millisecond pulsars associated with the disk of our Galaxy, and a further 140 pulsars in 26 of the Galactic globular clusters. Recent highlights include the discovery of the young relativistic binary system PSR J1906+0746, a rejuvination in globular cluster pulsar research including growing numbers of pulsars with masses in excess of 1.5 solar masses, a precise measurement of relativistic spin precession in the double pulsar system and a Galactic millisecond pulsar in an eccentric (e=0.44) orbit around an unevolved companion.