A Neutron Star in F-sharp

Abstract

In this short introductory commentary on the paper (Hessels et al 2006, Science, 311, 1901) reporting the discovery of the shortest spin period millisecond pulsar (MSP) Ter5-ad in the globular cluster Terzan 5, I also point out a new explanation for possible minimum spin periods, P, of MSPs without requiring gravitational radiation (or other) slow-down torques. If the accretion of matter required to spinup a MSP also reduces (buries) the neutron star (NS) magnetic field, B, as commonly believed, an inverse correlation between neutron star mass, M, and B is expected together with a positive correlation between P and B. Both are suggested for the 4 MSPs with NS mass measures reported (Latimer and Prakash 2004, Science, 304, 536) to have <~10% uncertainties. The correlations imply the Ter5-ad NS has ~2.5 Msun, B ~5 x 10^7 G and thus Pdot ~3 x 10^-21 s/s -- which can be tested when a timing solution is found. If confirmed, the highest spin frequency NSs do not pulse simply because their B fields are too low.