A new redback pulsar candidate 4FGL J2054.2+6904

TL;DR

This study identifies 4FGL J2054.2+6904 as a probable redback pulsar through multi-wavelength analysis, revealing a 7.5-hour orbital period, optical variability, and X-ray characteristics consistent with redback systems.

Contribution

The paper presents the first detailed multi-wavelength characterization of the candidate, establishing it as a new redback pulsar based on optical and X-ray data analysis.

Findings

Detected a 7.5-hour orbital period in optical data.

Optical spectral energy distribution indicates a G-type star.

X-ray spectrum fits an absorbed power law with photon index 1.0.

Abstract

The Fermi catalogue contains about 2000 unassociated $\gamma$-ray sources. Some of them were recently identified as pulsars, including so called redbacks and black widows, which are millisecond pulsars in tight binary systems with non- and partially-degenerate low-mass stellar companions irradiated by the pulsar wind. We study a likely optical and X-ray counterpart of the Fermi source 4FGL J2054.2+6904 proposed earlier as a pulsar candidate. We use archival optical data as well as Swift/XRT and SRG/eROSITA X-ray data to clarify its nature. Using Zwicky Transient Facility data in $g$ and $r$ bands spanning over 4.7 years, we find a period of $\approx$7.5 h. The folded light curve has a smooth sinusoidal shape with the peak-to-peak amplitude of $\approx$0.4 mag. The spectral fit to the optical spectral energy distribution of the counterpart candidate gives the star radius of 0.5$\pm$0.1$R_\odot$ and temperature of 5500$\pm$300 K implying a G2--G9-type star. Its X-ray spectrum is well fitted by an absorbed power law with the photon index of 1.0$\pm$0.3 and unabsorbed flux of $\approx 2\times10^{-13}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$. All the properties of 4FGL J2054.2$+$6904 and its presumed counterpart suggest that it is a member of the redback family.