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1.
X-rays from massive OB stars: thermal emission from radiative shocks   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  
Chandra grating spectra of a sample of 15 massive OB stars were analysed under the basic assumption that the X-ray emission is produced in an ensemble of shocks formed in the winds driven by these objects. Shocks develop either as a result of radiation-driven instabilities or due to confinement of the wind by a relatively strong magnetic field, and since they are radiative, a simple model of their X-ray emission was developed that allows a direct comparison with observations. According to our model, the shock structures (clumps, complete or fractional shells) eventually become 'cold' clouds in the X-ray sky of the star. As a result, it is expected that for large covering factors of the hot clumps, there is a high probability for X-ray absorption by the 'cold' clouds, resulting in blueshifted spectral lines. Our analysis has revealed that such a correlation indeed exists for the considered sample of OB stars. As to the temperature characteristics of the X-ray emission plasma, the studied OB stars fall in two groups: (i) one with plasma temperature limited to ∼0.1–0.4 keV and (ii) the other with X-rays produced in plasmas at considerably higher temperatures. We argue that the two groups correspond to different mechanisms for the origin of X-rays: in radiation-driven instability shocks and in magnetically confined wind shocks, respectively.  相似文献   

2.
The shape of the light curve during the rising phase of Type I X-ray bursts is determined by many factors including the ignition latitude, the accretion rate, and the rotation rate of the star. We develop a phenomenological model of the burst rise process and show that simple measures of the burst morphology can be robust diagnostics of ignition latitude and burning regime. We apply our results to the large sample of bursts from the low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1636−536, and find evidence for off-equatorial ignition for many of the bursts. We argue that such behaviour may be associated with the transition from hydrogen to helium ignition at accretion rates a few per cent of Eddington. We show that this model can also explain variations in the detectability of burst oscillations, and discuss the implications for other burst sources.  相似文献   

3.
Bjorkman & Cassinelli (1993) have proposed a mechanism that is expected to produce strong equatorial focusing of the radiation-driven winds from rapidly-rotating B stars. Here the possibility of the decoupling of the stellar radiation field and the outflow is considered. We find that greater equator to pole density ratios may be generated than the standard model, bringing it more into line with results implied by observations.  相似文献   

4.
We present a detailed study of the X-ray energy and power spectral properties of the neutron star transient IGR J17191−2821. We discovered four instances of pairs of simultaneous kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs). The frequency difference between these kHz QPOs is between 315 and 362 Hz. We also report on the detection of five thermonuclear type I X-ray bursts and the discovery of burst oscillations at ∼294 Hz during three of them. Finally, we report on a faint and short outburst precursor, which occurred about two months before the main outburst. Our results on the broad-band spectral and variability properties allow us to firmly establish the atoll source nature of IGR J17191−2821.  相似文献   

5.
We develop a simple, time-dependent Comptonization model to probe the origins of spectral variability in accreting neutron star systems. In the model, soft 'seed photons' are injected into a corona of hot electrons, where they are Compton upscattered before escaping as hard X-rays. The model describes how the hard X-ray spectrum varies when the properties of either the soft photon source or the Comptonizing medium undergo small oscillations. Observations of the resulting spectral modulations can determine whether the variability is due to (i) oscillations in the injection of seed photons, (ii) oscillations in the coronal electron density, or (iii) oscillations in the coronal energy dissipation rate. Identifying the origin of spectral variability should help clarify how the corona operates and its relation to the accretion disc. It will also help in finding the mechanisms underlying the various quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in the X-ray outputs of many accreting neutron star and black hole systems. As a sample application of our model, we analyse a kilohertz QPO observed in the atoll source 4U 1608–52. We find that the QPO is driven predominantly by an oscillation in the electron density of the Comptonizing gas.  相似文献   

6.
We use data from the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer to search for harmonics and sidebands of the two simultaneous kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs) in Sco X-1. We do not detect any of these harmonics or sidebands, with 95 per cent confidence upper limits to their power between ∼1 and ∼10 per cent of the power of the upper kHz QPO. The oscillations produced at these frequencies may be attenuated in a scattering corona around the neutron star. We find that upper limits to the unattenuated power of some of the strongest theoretically predicted harmonics and sidebands are as low as ∼2 per cent of the unattenuated power of the high-frequency QPO in Sco X-1.  相似文献   

7.
We discuss the nature of the various modes of pulsation of superfluid neutron stars using comparatively simple Newtonian models and the Cowling approximation. The matter in these stars is described in terms of a two-fluid model, where one fluid is the neutron superfluid, which is believed to exist in the core and inner crust of mature neutron stars, and the other fluid represents a conglomerate of all other constituents (crust nuclei, protons, electrons, etc.). In our model, we incorporate the non-dissipative interaction known as the entrainment effect, whereby the momentum of one constituent (e.g. the neutrons) carries along part of the mass of the other constituent. We show that there is no independent set of pulsating g-modes in a non-rotating superfluid neutron star core, even though the linearized superfluid equations contain a well-defined (and real-valued) analogue to the so-called Brunt–Väisälä frequency. Instead, what we find are two sets of spheroidal perturbations whose nature is predominately acoustic. In addition, an analysis of the zero-frequency subspace (i.e. the space of time-independent perturbations) reveals two sets of degenerate spheroidal perturbations, which we interpret to be the missing g-modes, and two sets of toroidal perturbations. We anticipate that the degeneracy of all these zero-frequency modes will be broken by the Coriolis force in the case of rotating stars. To illustrate this we consider the toroidal pulsation modes of a slowly rotating superfluid star. This analysis shows that the superfluid equations support a new class of r-modes, in addition to those familiar from, for example, geophysical fluid dynamics. Finally, the role of the entrainment effect on the superfluid mode frequencies is shown explicitly via solutions to dispersion relations that follow from a 'local' analysis of the linearized superfluid equations.  相似文献   

8.
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9.
We study the radiation-driven warping of accretion discs in the context of X-ray binaries. The latest evolutionary equations are adopted, which extend the classical alpha theory to time-dependent thin discs with non-linear warps. We also develop accurate, analytical expressions for the tidal torque and the radiation torque, including self-shadowing.
We investigate the possible non-linear dynamics of the system within the framework of bifurcation theory. First, we re-examine the stability of an initially flat disc to the Pringle instability. Then we compute directly the branches of non-linear solutions representing steadily precessing discs. Finally, we determine the stability of the non-linear solutions. Each problem involves only ordinary differential equations, allowing a rapid, accurate and well-resolved solution.
We find that radiation-driven warping is probably not a common occurrence in low-mass X-ray binaries. We also find that stable, steadily precessing discs exist for a narrow range of parameters close to the stability limit. This could explain why so few systems show clear, repeatable 'superorbital' variations. The best examples of such systems, Her X-1, SS 433 and LMC X-4, all lie close to the stability limit for a reasonable choice of parameters. Systems far from the stability limit, including Cyg X-2, Cen X-3 and SMC X-1, probably experience quasi-periodic or chaotic variability as first noticed recently by Wijers and Pringle. We show that radiation-driven warping provides a coherent and persuasive framework but that it does not provide a generic explanation for the long-term variabilities in all X-ray binaries.  相似文献   

10.
We present new observations of the rapid oscillations in the dwarf nova VW Hyi, made late in outburst. These dwarf nova oscillations (DNOs) increase in period until they reach 33 s, when a transition to a strong 1st harmonic and weak fundamental takes place. After further period increase, the 2nd harmonic appears; often all three components are present simultaneously. This 1:2:3 frequency suite is similar to what has been seen in some neutron star and black hole X-ray binaries, but has not previously been seen in a cataclysmic variable. When studied in detail, the fundamental and 2nd harmonic vary similarly in phase, but the 1st harmonic behaves independently, though keeping close to twice the frequency of the fundamental. The fundamental period of the DNOs, as directly observed or inferred from the harmonics, increases to ∼100 s before the oscillation disappears as the star reaches quiescence. Its maximum period is close to that of the 'longer-period' DNOs observed in VW Hyi. The quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs), which have fundamental periods 400–1000 s, behave in the same way, showing 1st and 2nd harmonics at approximately the same times as the DNOs. We explore some possible models. One in which the existence of the 1st harmonic is due to the transition from viewing a single accretion region to viewing two regions, and the rate of accretion on to the primary is modulated at the frequency of the 1st harmonic, as in the 'beat frequency model', can generate the suite of DNO frequencies observed. But the behaviour of the QPOs is not yet understood.  相似文献   

11.
Recently discovered quasi-periodic oscillations in the X-ray brightness of low-mass X-ray binaries are used to derive constraints on the mass of the neutron star component and the equation of state of neutron star matter. The observations are compared with models of rapidly rotating neutron stars which are calculated by means of an exact numerical method in full relativity. For the equations of state we select a broad collection of models representing different assumptions about the many-body structure and the complexity of the composition of superdense matter. The mass constraints differ from their values in the approximate treatment by ∼10 per cent. Under the assumption that the maximum frequency of the quasi-periodic oscillations originates from the innermost stable orbit, the mass of the neutron star is in the range M ∼1.92–2.25 M⊙. The quasi-periodic oscillation in the Atoll-source 4U 1820−30 in particular is only consistent with equations of state that are rather stiff at high densities, which is explainable, so far, only with pure nucleonic/leptonic composition. This interpretation contradicts the hypothesis that the protoneutron star formed in SN 1987A collapsed to a black hole, since this would demand a maximum neutron star mass below 1.6 M⊙. The recently suggested identification of quasi-periodic oscillations with frequencies of about 10 Hz with the Lense–Thirring precession of the accretion disc is found to be inconsistent with the models studied in this work, unless it is assumed that the first overtone of the precession is observed.  相似文献   

12.
Using time evolutions of the relevant linearized equations, we study non-axisymmetric oscillations of rapidly rotating and superfluid neutron stars. We consider perturbations of Newtonian axisymmetric background configurations and account for the presence of superfluid components via the standard two-fluid model. Within the Cowling approximation, we are able to carry out evolutions for uniformly rotating stars up to the mass-shedding limit. This leads to the first detailed analysis of superfluid neutron star oscillations in the fast rotation regime, where the star is significantly deformed by the centrifugal force. For simplicity, we focus on background models where the two fluids (superfluid neutrons and protons) corotate, are in β-equilibrium and co-exist throughout the volume of the star. We construct sequences of rotating stars for two analytical model equations of state. These models represent relatively simple generalizations of single fluid, polytropic stars. We study the effects of entrainment, rotation and symmetry energy on non-radial oscillations of these models. Our results show that entrainment and symmetry energy can have a significant effect on the rotational splitting of non-axisymmetric modes. In particular, the symmetry energy modifies the inertial mode frequencies considerably in the regime of fast rotation.  相似文献   

13.
Recently launched X-ray telescopes have discovered several candidate isolated neutron stars. The thermal radiation from these objects may potentially constrain our understanding of nuclear physics in a realm inaccessible to terrestrial experiments. To translate the observed fluxes from neutron stars into constraints, one needs precise calculations of the heat transfer through the thin insulating envelopes of neutron stars. We describe models of the thermal structure of the envelopes of neutron stars with magnetic fields up to 1014 G. Unlike earlier work, we infer the properties of envelope models in two dimensions and precisely account for the quantization of the electron phase-space. Both dipole and uniformly magnetized envelopes are considered.  相似文献   

14.
We have discovered a triple-peaked X-ray burst from the low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) 4U 1636−53 with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer ( RXTE ). This is the first triple-peaked burst reported from any LMXB using RXTE , and it is only the second burst of this kind observed from any source. (The previous one was also from 4U 1636−53, and was observed with EXOSAT .) From fits to time-resolved spectra, we find that this is not a radius-expansion burst, and the same triple-peaked pattern seen in the X-ray light curve is also present in the bolometric light curve of the burst. Similar to what was previously observed in double-peaked bursts from this source, the radius of the emitting area increases steadily during the burst, with short periods in between during which the radius remains more or less constant. The temperature first increases steeply, and then decreases across the burst also showing three peaks. The first and last peak in the temperature profile occur, respectively, significantly before and after the first and last peaks in the X-ray and bolometric light curves. We found no significant oscillations during this burst. This triple-peaked burst, as well as the one observed with EXOSAT and the double-peak bursts in this source, all took place when 4U 1636−53 occupied a relatively narrow region in the colour–colour diagram, corresponding to a relatively high (inferred) mass-accretion rate. No model presently available is able to explain the multiple-peaked bursts.  相似文献   

15.
Eddington-limited X-ray bursts from neutron stars can be used in conjunction with other spectroscopic observations to measure neutron star masses, radii and distances. In order to quantify some of the uncertainties in the determination of the Eddington limit, we analysed a large sample of photospheric radius-expansion thermonuclear bursts observed with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer . We identified the instant at which the expanded photosphere 'touches down' back on to the surface of the neutron star and compared the corresponding touchdown flux to the peak flux of each burst. We found that for the majority of sources, the ratio of these fluxes is smaller than ≃1.6, which is the maximum value expected from the changing gravitational redshift during the radius expansion episodes (for a  2 M⊙  neutron star). The only sources for which this ratio is larger than ≃1.6 are high-inclination sources that include dippers and Cyg X-2. We discuss two possible geometric interpretations of this effect and show that the inferred masses and radii of neutron stars are not affected by this bias. On the other hand, systematic uncertainties as large as ∼50 per cent may be introduced to the distance determination.  相似文献   

16.
For the bright neutron star low-mass X-ray binary Sco X-1, we analyzed all updated frequencies of the twin kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs), their correlations and distributions. We found that the frequency separation of the kHz QPO peaks appears not to be a constant, rather, it decreases with increasing inferred mass accretion rate. We show that the currently available data of Sco X-1 by Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer are inconsistent with the proposals of the beat model that the frequency separation is a constant. Our conclusions are consistent with those of some previous researchers and we discuss further implications for the kilohertz QPO models.  相似文献   

17.
We review existing ROSAT detections of single Galactic Wolf–Rayet (WR) stars and develop wind models to interpret the X-ray emission. The ROSAT data, consisting of bandpass detections from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS) and some pointed observations, exhibit no correlations of the WR X-ray luminosity ( L X) with any star or wind parameters of interest (e.g. bolometric luminosity, mass-loss rate or wind kinetic energy), although the dispersion in the measurements is quite large. The lack of correlation between X-ray luminosity and wind parameters among the WR stars is unlike that of their progenitors, the O stars, which show trends with such parameters. In this paper we seek to (i) test by how much the X-ray properties of the WR stars differ from the O stars and (ii) place limits on the temperature T X and filling factor f X of the X-ray-emitting gas in the WR winds. Adopting empirically derived relationships for T X and f X from O-star winds, the predicted X-ray emission from WR stars is much smaller than observed with ROSAT . Abandoning the T X relation from O stars, we maximize the cooling from a single-temperature hot gas to derive lower limits for the filling factors in WR winds. Although these filling factors are consistently found to be an order of magnitude greater than those for O stars, we find that the data are consistent (albeit the data are noisy) with a trend of in WR stars, as is also the case for O stars.  相似文献   

18.
The presence of heated circumstellar dust around WC type Wolf-Rayet stars requires the episodic or persistent condensation of carbon grains in their stellar winds. In order to survive in the stars' strong ultraviolet radiation fields, the grains must be located at least 100AU from the stellar surfaces. The densities in isotropic winds at such large distances are too low to allow grain growth and anisotropies such as clumps, disks or wind-collision wakes in colliding-wind binary systems are required to provide grain nurseries. Observational evidence for such features in grain-forming W-R stars is examined.  相似文献   

19.
We report simultaneous observations of the black hole candidate X-ray transient GRS 1915+105 in the infrared (IR) at K and in the radio at 2 cm. Oscillations of period 26 min were observed in both wavebands, having (dereddened) peak–peak amplitudes of about 40 mJy and with the IR leading the radio by 7 min, or perhaps by 33 or 59 min. A synchrotron origin for the oscillations continues to seem very likely. We consider a range of problems raised by these observations, and briefly discuss the applicability of expanding-synchrotron source or conical jet models to the oscillations. Comparing simplistic estimates of the ejecta mass to the missing inner disc mass in the model of Belloni et al., we find that a significant fraction of the inner disc may be ejected during the oscillations.  相似文献   

20.
We describe an efficient method of calculating the radiation pressure resulting from spectral lines, including all the terms in the velocity gradient tensor. We apply this method to calculate the two-dimensional, time-dependent structure of winds from luminous discs. Qualitative features of our new models are very similar to those we calculated including only the dominant terms in the tensor. In particular, we find that models which displayed unsteady behaviour in our earlier paper are also unsteady with the new method, and gross properties of the winds, such as mass-loss rate and characteristic velocity, are not changed by the more accurate approach. The largest change caused by the new method is in the disc-wind opening angle: winds driven only by the disc radiation are more polar with the new method, whilst winds driven by the disc and central object radiation are typically more equatorial. In the closing discussion, we provide further insight into the way the geometry of the radiation field and consequent flow determine the time properties of the flow.  相似文献   

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