Origin of quasi-periodic timing residuals in PSR J1740-3052

Determine the physical origin of the quasi-periodic timing residuals observed in PSR J1740-3052 on a timescale of approximately 2.2 times the orbital period, and establish the mechanism responsible for these residual variations.

Background

PSR J1740-3052 is a young, long-period pulsar in a wide and highly eccentric binary with a massive companion. Long-term timing has revealed orbital-phase-dependent dispersion and scattering, attributed to propagation through the companion's stellar wind.

In addition to these propagation effects, timing residuals show quasi-periodic behavior on a timescale of roughly 2.2 orbital periods. The underlying cause of these residuals is not identified in the present study, leaving their physical origin unresolved.

References

Additional timing residuals show quasi-periodic behaviour on a timescale of approximately $2.2\,P_{\rm B}$, the origin of which remains uncertain.

— Magneto-Active Environments in Pulsar Binaries with the MeerKAT Telescope: I. Pulsar sample and their basic properties  (2604.02310 - Singha et al., 2 Apr 2026) in Section 3.1 (PSR J1740-3052)