Polarization Studies of Black Widows PSRs B1957+20, J2055+3829 and J1544+4937

TL;DR

This study analyzes the polarization properties of three black widow pulsars using FAST, revealing magnetic field characteristics and reversals in the eclipse medium through polarization and dispersion measure observations.

Contribution

First detailed polarization analysis of these pulsars at 1250 MHz, showing magnetic field estimates and reversals in the eclipse medium.

Findings

Radio eclipses detected for PSRs B1957+20 and J2055+3829.

Linear polarization position angle shifts at eclipse boundaries.

Magnetic field in the eclipse medium estimated to be a few to tens of milligauss, with evidence of reversals.

Abstract

We present an analysis of the polarization of three black widow pulsars, PSRs B1957+20, J2055+3829 and J1544+4937 at 1250\,MHz using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST). Radio eclipses for PSRs B1957+20 and J2055+3829 are detected, while the radio emission for J1544+4937 is detected throughout the eclipse. We study the polarization and dispersion measure properties of the pulsars near and during the eclipse. The position angle of the linear polarization is observed to shift at the eclipse boundary in all of these three pulsars implying a lower limit line-of-sight magnetic field strength of the eclipse medium of approximately a few mG to tens of mG. We also find evidence that the magnetic field in the eclipse medium of PSRs B1957+20 and J1544+4937 reverses.