Effect of tides on the orbital evolution of the redback system PSR 1723-2837

TL;DR

This paper investigates how tidal forces influence the orbital evolution of the redback system PSR J1723-2837, revealing complexities in tidal interactions and stellar rotation that challenge standard models.

Contribution

It extends Hut's equilibrium tidal theory by considering a non-rigid, two-layer donor star and analyzes observational data to explore discrepancies in stellar synchronization.

Findings

Large orbital period derivative can be explained by slightly sub-synchronous donor rotation.

Observed photometric periods suggest complex stellar behavior beyond weak friction tide models.

Discrepancy between observed non-synchronism and theoretical expectations challenges current tidal evolution models.

Abstract

The standard model of stellar evolution in Close Binary Systems assumes that during mass transfer episodes the system is in a synchronised and circularised state. Remarkably, the redback system PSR J1723-2837 has an orbital period derivative $\dot{P}_{orb}$ too large to be explained by this model. Motivated by this fact, we investigate the action of tidal forces in between two consecutive mass transfer episodes for a system under irradiation feedback, which is a plausible progenitor for PSR J1723-2837. We base our analysis on Hut's treatment of equilibrium tidal evolution, generalised by considering the donor as a two layers object that may not rotate as a rigid body. We also analyse three different relations for the viscosity with the tidal forcing frequency. We found that the large value measured for $\dot{P}_{orb}$ can be reached by systems where the donor star rotates slower (by few percent) than the orbit just after mass transfer episodes. Van Staden & Antoniadis have observed this object and reported a lack of synchronism, opposite to that required by the Hut's theory to account for the observed $\dot{P}_{orb}$. Motivated by this discrepancy, we analyse photometric data obtained by the spacecraft Kepler second mission K2, with the purpose of identifying the periods present in PSR J1723-2837. We notice several periods close to those of the orbit and the rotation. The obtained periods pattern reveals the presence of a more complex phenomenology, which would not be well described in the frame of the weak friction model of equilibrium tides.