980 research outputs found
On the Outbursts of Soft X-ray Transients
We suggest a new scenario to explain the outburst light curves of black hole
soft X-ray transients together with the secondary maximum and the bump seen on
their decay phases. Our explanations are based on the disk instability models
considering the effect of X-ray irradiation. The scenario is consistent with
the observed X-ray delays by a few days with respect to the optical rise for
both the main outburst and the later maxima. We test our scenario by
numerically solving the disk diffusion equation. The obtained model curve fits
well to the observed X-ray outburst photon flux curve of the black hole soft
X-ray transient GS/GRS 1124-68, a typical representative of the four BH SXTs
with very similar light curves.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in A&
On the evolution of anomalous X-ray pulsars and soft gamma ray repeaters with fallback disks
We show that the period clustering of anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) and soft
gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs), their X-ray luminosities, ages and statistics can
be explained with fallback disks with large initial specific angular momentum.
The disk evolution models are developed by comparison to self-similar
analytical models. The initial disk mass and angular momentum set the viscous
timescale. An efficient torque, with (1 - w^2) dependence on the fastness
parameter w leads to period clustering in the observed AXP-SGR period range
under a wide range of initial conditions. The timescale t_0 for the early
evolution of the fallback disk, and the final stages of fallback disk
evolution, when the disk becomes passive, are the crucial determinants of the
evolution. The disk becomes passive at temperatures around 100 K, which
provides a natural cutoff for the X-ray luminosity and defines the end of
evolution in the observable AXP and SGR phase. This low value for the minimum
temperature for active disk turbulence indicates that the fallback disks are
active up to a large radius greater than ~10^{12} cm. We find that transient
AXPs and SGRs are likely to be older than their persistent cousins. A fallback
disk with mass transfer rates corresponding to the low quiescent X-ray
luminosities of the transient sources in early evolutionary phases would have a
relatively lower initial mass, such that the mass-flow rate in the disk is not
sufficient for the inner disk to penetrate into the light cylinder of the young
neutron star, making mass accretion onto the neutron star impossible. The
transient AXP phase therefore must start later. The model results imply that
the transient AXP/SGRs, although older, are likely to be similar in number to
persistent sources (abridged).Comment: 42 pages, 22 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
Fallback disks, magnetars and other neutron stars
The presence of matter with angular momentum, in the form of a fallback disk around a young isolated neutron star will determine its evolution. This leads to an understanding of many properties of different classes of young neutron stars, in particular a natural explanation for the period clustering of AXPs, SGRs and XDINs. The spindown or spinup properties of a neutron star are determined by the dipole component of the magnetic field. The natural
possibility that magnetars and other neutron stars may have different strengths of the dipole and higher multipole components of the magnetic field is now actually required by observations on the spindown rates of some magnetars. This talk gives a broad overview and some applications of the fallback disk model to particular neutron stars. Salient points are: (i) A fallback disk has already been observed around the AXP 4U 0142+61 some years ago. (ii) The low observed
spindown rate of the SGR 0418+5729 provides direct evidence that the dipole component of the field is in the 1012G range. All properties of the SGR 0418+5729 at its present age can be explained by spindown under torques from a fallback disk. (iii) The anomalous braking index of PSR J1734-3333 can also be explained by the fallback disk model which gives the luminosity, period, period derivative and the period second derivative at the present age. (iv) These and all applications to a variety of other sources employ the same disk physics and evolution, differing only in the initial conditions of the disk
On the enhanced X-ray emission from SGR 1900+14 after the August 27th giant flare
We show that the giant flares of soft gamma ray repeaters (E similar to 10(44) erg) can push the inner regions of a fall-back disk out to larger radii by radiation pressure, while matter remains bound to the system for plausible parameters. The subsequent relaxation of this pushed-back matter can account for the observed enhanced X-ray emission after the August 27(th) giant flare of SGR 1900+14
The anomalous x-ray pulsar 4U 0142+61: a neutron star with a gaseous fallback disk
The recent detection of the anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) 4U 0142+61 in the mid infrared with the Spitzer Observatory (Wang, Chakrabarty & Kaplan 2006) constitutes the first instance for a disk around an AXP. We show, by analyzing earlier optical and near IR data together with the recent data, that the overall broad band data can be reproduced by a single irradiated and viscously heated disk model
On the evolution of the radio pulsar PSR J1734−3333
Recent measurements showed that the period derivative of the ‘hig
h-B’ radio pulsar PSR J1734−3333 is increasing with time. For neutron stars evolving with fallback disks, this rotational behavior is expected in certain phases of the long-term evolution. Using the same model as employed earlier to explain the evolution of anomalous X-ray pulsars and soft gamma-ray repeaters, we show that the period,the first and second period derivatives and the X-ray luminosity of this source can simultaneously acquire the observed values for a neutron star evolving with a fallback disk. We find that the required strength of the dipole field that can produce the source properties is in the range of 10^12 − 10^13 G on the pole of the neutron star. When the model source
reaches the current state properties of PSR J1734−3333, accretion onto the star has not started yet, allowing the source to operate as a regular radio pulsar. Our results imply that PSR J1734−3333 is at an age of ∼3×10^4 −2×10^5years. Such sources will have properties like the X-ray dim isolated neutron stars or transient AXPs at a later epoch of weak accretion from the diminished fallback disk
X-ray and infrared enhancement of anomalous x-ray pulsar 1E 2259+586
The long-term ( 1.5 yr) X-ray enhancement and the accompanying infrared enhancement light curves of the anomalous X-ray pulsar 1E 2259+586 following the major bursting epoch can be accounted for by the relaxation of a fallback disk that has been pushed back by a gamma-ray flare. The required burst energy estimated from the results of our model fits is low enough for such a burst to have remained below the detection limits. We find that an irradiated disk model with a low irradiation efficiency is in good agreement with both X-ray and infrared data. Nonirradiated disk models also give a good fit to the X-ray light curve, but are not consistent with the infrared data for the first week of the enhancement
On fallback disks and magnetars
The discovery of a disk around the anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142+61, has rekindled the interest in fallback disks around magnetars. We briefly review the assumptions of fallback disk models and magnetar models. Earlier data in optical and near IR bands combined with new Spitzer data in the mid-IR range are compatible with a gas disk. Higher multipole fields with magnetar strengths together with a dipole field of 1012-1013 G on the neutron star surface are compatible with the presence of a disk around the neutron star. The possible presence and properties of a fallback disk after the supernova explosion is a likely initial condition to complement the initial rotation period and initial dipole field in determining the evolutionary paths and different types of isolated neutron stars
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