PSR J0653+0443: An Eclipsing Millisecond Pulsar in an Extremely Eccentric Double Neutron Star System

Abstract

Double neutron star (DNS) systems emit gravitational waves (GW) as they orbit each other, with waveforms dependent on their orbital properties \cite{Poisson+2014grav.book.....P}. The number of DNS systems surviving binary star evolution in the Milky Way and the distribution of their orbital parameters are fundamental questions for GW astronomy and binary evolution studies. Here, we report the discovery of a new Galactic field DNS system, PSR J0653+0443, comprising two ~1.4 M_⊙ components in an extremely eccentric orbit e=0.992387, P_orb=79.084 d. Its unique orbital dynamics include a 46-minute transit from true anomaly θ=−90^∘ to 90^∘ and striking periastron relative motion (maximum acceleration 1.11~km~s⁻², peak speed 1.14×10⁶~m~s⁻¹. The pulsar undergoes an 85-second conjunction eclipse, indicating a nearly edge-on binary orbit. Short-term variations in the periastron advance induce significant pulse arrival time modulation spanning -2.91 to +2.49 ms --- at least an order of magnitude larger than that observed in any other DNS system. From this modulation, the non-relativistic periastron advance rate is constrained to −1.5^+0.9_−0.8×10⁻⁴ deg yr⁻¹. The extreme orbital eccentricity can only be attributed to a large kick velocity imparted during the iron-core collapse supernova of the progenitor of the second component. The predicted detection probability of such a PSR J0653+0443-like DNS system is ≲ 5 × 10⁻³, implying that our discovery of this system challenges current understanding of binary evolution. This extraordinary DNS system emits periodic gravitational wave bursts, with the GW energy flux peaking at 0.357 mHz. This makes it an ideal target for the future LISAmax mission.

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@misc{yang2026j06530443,
  title = {{PSR J0653+0443: An Eclipsing Millisecond Pulsar in an Extremely Eccentric Double Neutron Star System}},
  author = {Z. L. Yang and J. L. Han and L. G. Hou and Z. W. Chen and Y. G. Gong and Y. L. Guo and Y. J. Lu and C. Zhang and K. Y. Song and B. Liu and D. Lai and C. Wang and W. Q. Su and P. F. Wang and X. P. You and N. N. Cai and Q. Gao and W. C. Jing and B. Wang and H. G. Wang and T. Wang and J. Xu and Y. Yan and D. J. Zhou},
  howpublished = {arXiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.29838},
  eprint = {2610.29838},
  archivePrefix = {arXiv},
  url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.29838},
  note = {CC BY-NC-SA 4.0},
}

RIS

TY  - UNPB
TI  - PSR J0653+0443: An Eclipsing Millisecond Pulsar in an Extremely Eccentric Double Neutron Star System
AU  - Z. L. Yang
AU  - J. L. Han
AU  - L. G. Hou
AU  - Z. W. Chen
AU  - Y. G. Gong
AU  - Y. L. Guo
AU  - Y. J. Lu
AU  - C. Zhang
AU  - K. Y. Song
AU  - B. Liu
AU  - D. Lai
AU  - C. Wang
AU  - W. Q. Su
AU  - P. F. Wang
AU  - X. P. You
AU  - N. N. Cai
AU  - Q. Gao
AU  - W. C. Jing
AU  - B. Wang
AU  - H. G. Wang
AU  - T. Wang
AU  - J. Xu
AU  - Y. Yan
AU  - D. J. Zhou
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/21
PB  - arXiv
DO  - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.29838
UR  - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.29838
AB  - Double neutron star (DNS) systems emit gravitational waves (GW) as they orbit each other, with waveforms dependent on their orbital properties \cite{Poisson+2014grav.book.....P}. The number of DNS systems surviving binary star evolution in the Milky Way and the distribution of their orbital parameters are fundamental questions for GW astronomy and binary evolution studies. Here, we report the discovery of a new Galactic field DNS system, PSR J0653+0443, comprising two ~1.4 M_⊙ components in an extremely eccentric orbit e=0.992387, P_orb=79.084 d. Its unique orbital dynamics include a 46-minute transit from true anomaly θ=−90^∘ to 90^∘ and striking periastron relative motion (maximum acceleration 1.11~km~s^−2, peak speed 1.14×10^6~m~s^−1. The pulsar undergoes an 85-second conjunction eclipse, indicating a nearly edge-on binary orbit. Short-term variations in the periastron advance induce significant pulse arrival time modulation spanning -2.91 to +2.49 ms --- at least an order of magnitude larger than that observed in any other DNS system. From this modulation, the non-relativistic periastron advance rate is constrained to −1.5^+0.9_−0.8×10^−4 deg yr^−1. The extreme orbital eccentricity can only be attributed to a large kick velocity imparted during the iron-core collapse supernova of the progenitor of the second component. The predicted detection probability of such a PSR J0653+0443-like DNS system is ≲ 5 × 10^−3, implying that our discovery of this system challenges current understanding of binary evolution. This extraordinary DNS system emits periodic gravitational wave bursts, with the GW energy flux peaking at 0.357 mHz. This makes it an ideal target for the future LISAmax mission.
ER  -

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