2005MNRAS.356..359X

Both rotation- and accretion-powered low-mass bare strange stars are studied, with particular regard to their astrophysical appearance. It is suggested that low-mass bare strange stars, with weaker ferromagnetic fields than that of normal pulsars, could result from the accretion-induced collapse of white dwarfs. According to its peculiar timing behaviour, we propose that the radio-quiet object, 1E 1207.4-5209, could be a low-mass bare strange star with a polar surface magnetic field of ∼6x10¹⁰ G and a radius of a few kilometres. The low-mass bare strange star idea is helpful in distinguishing neutron and strange stars, and is testable by imaging pulsar-like stars with the future Constellation-X telescope.