A Model of White Dwarf Pulsar AR Scorpii

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2016

Publication Title

Astrophysical Journal Letters

Volume

831

Issue

1

Abstract

A 3.56 hr white dwarf (WD)-M dwarf (MD) close binary system, AR Scorpii, was recently reported to show pulsating emission in radio, IR, optical, and UV, with a 1.97 minute period, which suggests the existence of a WD with a rotation period of 1.95 minutes. We propose a model to explain the temporal and spectral characteristics of the system. The WD is a nearly perpendicular rotator, with both open field line beams sweeping the MD stellar wind periodically. A bow shock propagating into the stellar wind accelerates electrons in the wind. Synchrotron radiation of these shocked electrons can naturally account for the broadband (from radio to X-rays) spectral energy distribution of the system. © 2016. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..

Keywords

binaries: general; pulsars: general; radiation mechanisms: non-thermal; white dwarfs

Language

English

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