VLBI astrometry of two millisecond pulsars

TL;DR

This paper reports VLBI astrometric measurements of two millisecond pulsars, providing precise distances and proper motions, which refine understanding of their properties and efficiencies.

Contribution

It presents new, high-precision VLBI astrometry for two millisecond pulsars, improving distance and motion estimates and impacting pulsar efficiency models.

Findings

PSR B1257+12 distance: 710 pc with uncertainties

Proper motions for both pulsars measured accurately

Revised X-ray efficiency estimates for PSR B1257+12

Abstract

We present astrometric results on two millisecond pulsars, PSR B1257+12 and PSR J1022+1001, as carried out through VLBI. For PSR B1257+12, a model-independent distance of $710_{\rm -38}^{\rm +43}$ pc and proper motion of ($\mu_{\rm \alpha}=46.44\pm0.08$ mas/yr, $\mu_{\rm \delta}=-84.87\pm0.32$ mas/yr) were obtained from 5 epochs of VLBA and 4 epochs of EVN observations, spanning about 2 years. The two dimensional proper motion of PSR J1022+1001 ($\mu_{\rm \alpha} \sim -10.13$ mas/yr, $\mu_{\delta} \sim 16.89$ mas/yr) was also estimated, using 3 epochs of EVN observations. Based on our results, the X-ray efficiency of PSR B1257+12 should be in the same range as other millisecond pulsars, and not as low as previously thought.