The Low-Frequency Radio Eclipses of the Black Widow Pulsar J1810+1744

TL;DR

This study investigates low-frequency radio eclipses of the black widow pulsar J1810+1744, revealing asymmetric dispersion measure variations, frequency-dependent eclipse durations, and suggesting cyclotron-synchrotron absorption as the primary eclipse mechanism.

Contribution

First detailed low-frequency analysis of black widow pulsar eclipses, showing frequency dependence and proposing cyclotron-synchrotron absorption as the main cause.

Findings

Eclipses last about 13% of the orbit at 149 MHz.

Eclipse duration scales with frequency as ν^{-0.41}.

Dispersion measure variations are asymmetric and suggest a tail of material.

Abstract

We have observed and analysed the eclipses of the black widow pulsar J1810+1744 at low radio frequencies. Using LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR) and Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope observations between 2011--2015 we have measured variations in flux density, dispersion measure and scattering around eclipses. High-time-resolution, simultaneous beamformed and interferometric imaging LOFAR observations show concurrent disappearance of pulsations and total flux from the source during the eclipses, with a $3\sigma$ upper limit of 36 mJy ($<10\%$ of the pulsar's averaged out-of-eclipse flux density). The dispersion measure variations are highly asymmetric, suggesting a tail of material swept back due to orbital motion. The egress deviations are variable on timescales shorter than the 3.6 hr orbital period and are indicative of a clumpy medium. Additional pulse broadening detected during egress is typically $<20\%$ of the pulsar's spin period, showing no evidence of scattering the pulses beyond detectability in the beamformed data. The eclipses, lasting $\sim13\%$ of the orbit at 149 MHz, are shown to be frequency-dependent with total duration scaling as $\propto\nu^{-0.41\pm0.03}$. The results are discussed in the context of the physical parameters of the system, and an examination of eclipse mechanisms reveals cyclotron-synchrotron absorption as the most likely primary cause, although non-linear scattering mechanisms cannot be quantitatively ruled out. The inferred mass loss rate is a similar order-of-magnitude to the mean rate required to fully evaporate the companion in a Hubble time.