414 research outputs found
Eccentricities of Double Neutron Star Binaries
Recent pulsar surveys have increased the number of observed double neutron
stars (DNS) in our galaxy enough so that observable trends in their properties
are starting to emerge. In particular, it has been noted that the majority of
DNS have eccentricities less than 0.3, which are surprisingly low for binaries
that survive a supernova explosion that we believe imparts a significant kick
to the neutron star. To investigate this trend, we generate many different
theoretical distributions of DNS eccentricities using Monte Carlo population
synthesis methods. We determine which eccentricity distributions are most
consistent with the observed sample of DNS binaries. In agreement with
Chaurasia & Bailes (2005), assuming all double neutron stars are equally as
probable to be discovered as binary pulsars, we find that highly eccentric,
coalescing DNS are less likely to be observed because of their accelerated
orbital evolution due to gravitational wave emission and possible early
mergers. Based on our results for coalescing DNS, we also find that models with
vanishingly or moderately small kicks (sigma < about 50 km/s) are inconsistent
with the current observed sample of such DNS. We discuss the implications of
our conclusions for DNS merger rate estimates of interest to ground-based
gravitational-wave interferometers. We find that, although orbital evolution
due to gravitational radiation affects the eccentricity distribution of the
observed sample, the associated upwards correction factor to merger rate
estimates is rather small (typically 10-40%).Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, accepted by ApJ. Figures reduced and some content
changed, references adde
Equipotential Surfaces and Lagrangian points in Non-synchronous, Eccentric Binary and Planetary Systems
We investigate the existence and properties of equipotential surfaces and
Lagrangian points in non-synchronous, eccentric binary star and planetary
systems under the assumption of quasi-static equilibrium. We adopt a binary
potential that accounts for non-synchronous rotation and eccentric orbits, and
calculate the positions of the Lagrangian points as functions of the mass
ratio, the degree of asynchronism, the orbital eccentricity, and the position
of the stars or planets in their relative orbit. We find that the geometry of
the equipotential surfaces may facilitate non-conservative mass transfer in
non-synchronous, eccentric binary star and planetary systems, especially if the
component stars or planets are rotating super-synchronously at the periastron
of their relative orbit. We also calculate the volume-equivalent radius of the
Roche lobe as a function of the four parameters mentioned above. Contrary to
common practice, we find that replacing the radius of a circular orbit in the
fitting formula of Eggleton (1983) with the instantaneous distance between the
components of eccentric binary or planetary systems does not always lead to a
good approximation to the volume-equivalent radius of the Roche-lobe. We
therefore provide generalized analytic fitting formulae for the
volume-equivalent Roche lobe radius appropriate for non-synchronous, eccentric
binary star and planetary systems. These formulae are accurate to better than
1% throughout the relevant 2-dimensional parameter space that covers a dynamic
range of 16 and 6 orders of magnitude in the two dimensions.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, 2 Tables, Accepted by the Astrophysical Journa
The Role of Helium Stars in the Formation of Double Neutron Stars
We have calculated the evolution of 60 model binary systems consisting of
helium stars in the mass range of M_He= 2.5-6Msun with a 1.4Msun neutron star
companion to investigate the formation of double neutron star systems.Orbital
periods ranging from 0.09 to 2 days are considered, corresponding to Roche lobe
overflow starting from the helium main sequence to after the ignition of carbon
burning in the core. We have also examined the evolution into a common envelope
phase via secular instability, delayed dynamical instability, and the
consequence of matter filling the neutron star's Roche lobe. The survival of
some close He-star neutron-star binaries through the last mass transfer episode
(either dynamically stable or unstable mass transfer phase) leads to the
formation of extremely short-period double neutron star systems (with
P<~0.1days). In addition, we find that systems throughout the entire calculated
mass range can evolve into a common envelope phase, depending on the orbital
period at the onset of mass transfer. The critical orbital period below which
common envelope evolution occurs generally increases with M_He. In addition, a
common envelope phase may occur during a short time for systems characterized
by orbital periods of 0.1-0.5 days at low He-star masses (~ 2.6-3.3Msun).
The existence of a short-period population of double neutron stars increases
the predicted detection rate of inspiral events by ground-based
gravitational-wave detectors and impacts their merger location in host galaxies
and their possible role as gamma-ray burst progenitors. We use a set of
population synthesis calculations and investigate the implications of the
mass-transfer results for the orbital properties of DNS populations.Comment: 30 pages, Latex (AASTeX), 1 table, 8 figures. To appear in ApJ, v592
n1 July 20, 200
Evolution of Neutron-Star, Carbon-Oxygen White-Dwarf Binaries
At least one, but more likely two or more, eccentric neutron-star,
carbon-oxygen white-dwarf binaries with an unrecycled pulsar have been
observed. According to the standard scenario for evolving neutron stars which
are recycled in common envelope evolution we expect to observe \gsim 50 such
circular neutron star-carbon oxygen white dwarf binaries, since their formation
rate is roughly equal to that of the eccentric binaries and the time over which
they can be observed is two orders of magnitude longer, as we shall outline. We
observe at most one or two such circular binaries and from that we conclude
that the standard scenario must be revised. Introducing hypercritical accretion
into common envelope evolution removes the discrepancy by converting the
neutron star into a black hole which does not emit radio waves, and therefore
would not be observed.Comment: 25 pages, 1 figure, accepted in Ap
On a mechanism for enhancing magnetic activity in tidally interacting binaries
We suggest a mechanism for enhancing magnetic activity in tidally interacting
binaries. We suppose that the deviation of the primary star from spherical
symmetry due to the tidal influence of the companion leads to stellar pulsation
in its fundamental mode. It is shown that stellar radial pulsation amplifies
torsional Alfv{\'e}n waves in a dipole-like magnetic field, buried in the
interior, according to the recently proposed swing wave-wave interaction
(Zaqarashvili 2001). Then amplified Alfv{\'e}n waves lead to the onset of
large-scale torsional oscillations, and magnetic flux tubes arising towards the
surface owing to magnetic buoyancy diffuse into the atmosphere producing
enhanced chromospheric and coronal emission.Comment: Accepted in Ap
Hyperfast pulsars as the remnants of massive stars ejected from young star clusters
Recent proper motion and parallax measurements for the pulsar PSR B1508+55
indicate a transverse velocity of ~1100 km/s, which exceeds earlier
measurements for any neutron star. The spin-down characteristics of PSR
B1508+55 are typical for a non-recycled pulsar, which implies that the velocity
of the pulsar cannot have originated from the second supernova disruption of a
massive binary system. The high velocity of PSR B1508+55 can be accounted for
by assuming that it received a kick at birth or that the neutron star was
accelerated after its formation in the supernova explosion. We propose an
explanation for the origin of hyperfast neutron stars based on the hypothesis
that they could be the remnants of a symmetric supernova explosion of a
high-velocity massive star which attained its peculiar velocity (similar to
that of the pulsar) in the course of a strong dynamical three- or four-body
encounter in the core of dense young star cluster. To check this hypothesis we
investigated three dynamical processes involving close encounters between: (i)
two hard massive binaries, (ii) a hard binary and an intermediate-mass black
hole, and (iii) a single star and a hard binary intermediate-mass black hole.
We find that main-sequence O-type stars cannot be ejected from young massive
star clusters with peculiar velocities high enough to explain the origin of
hyperfast neutron stars, but lower mass main-sequence stars or the stripped
helium cores of massive stars could be accelerated to hypervelocities. Our
explanation for the origin of hyperfast pulsars requires a very dense stellar
environment of the order of 10^6 -10^7 stars pc^{-3}. Although such high
densities may exist during the core collapse of young massive star clusters, we
caution that they have never been observed.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, accepted to MNRA
Intermediate-mass star models with different helium and metal contents
We present a comprehensive theoretical investigation of the evolutionary
properties of intermediate-mass stars. The evolutionary sequences were computed
from the Zero Age Main Sequence up to the central He exhaustion and often up to
the phases which precede the carbon ignition or to the reignition of the
H-shell which marks the beginning of the thermal pulse phase. The evolutionary
tracks were constructed by adopting a wide range of stellar masses
(\msun) and chemical compositions. In order to account for
current uncertainties on the He to heavy elements enrichment ratio, the stellar
models were computed by adopting at Z=0.02 two different He contents (Y=0.27,
0.289) and at Z=0.04 three different He contents (Y=0.29, 0.34, and 0.37). To
supply a homogeneous evolutionary scenario which accounts for young Magellanic
stellar systems the calculations were also extended toward lower metallicities
(Z=0.004, Z=0.01), by adopting different initial He abundances. We evaluated
for both solar (Z=0.02) and super-metal-rich (SMR, Z=0.04) models the
transition mass between the stellar structures igniting carbon and
those which develop a full electron degeneracy inside the CO core. This
evolutionary scenario allows us to investigate in detail the properties of
classical Cepheids. In particular, we find that the range of stellar masses
which perform the blue loop during the central He-burning phase narrows when
moving toward metal-rich and SMR structures.Comment: 25 pages, 10 figures (4 postscript + 6 gif files), 7 postscript
tables. accepted for publication on ApJ (November 2000
How Massive Single Stars End their Life
How massive stars die -- what sort of explosion and remnant each produces --
depends chiefly on the masses of their helium cores and hydrogen envelopes at
death. For single stars, stellar winds are the only means of mass loss, and
these are chiefly a function of the metallicity of the star. We discuss how
metallicity, and a simplified prescription for its effect on mass loss, affects
the evolution and final fate of massive stars. We map, as a function of mass
and metallicity, where black holes and neutron stars are likely to form and
where different types of supernovae are produced. Integrating over an initial
mass function, we derive the relative populations as a function of metallicity.
Provided single stars rotate rapidly enough at death, we speculate upon stellar
populations that might produce gamma-ray bursts and jet-driven supernovae.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figues, submitted to Ap
A New Class of High-Mass X-ray Binaries: Implications for Core Collapse and Neutron-Star Recoil
We investigate an interesting new class of high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs)
with long orbital periods (P_orb > 30 days) and low eccentricities (e <~ 0.2).
The orbital parameters suggest that the neutron stars in these systems did not
receive a large impulse, or ``kick,'' at the time of formation. We develop a
self-consistent phenomenological picture wherein the neutron stars born in the
observed wide HMXBs receive only a small kick (<~ 50 km/s), while neutron stars
born in isolation, in the majority of low-mass X-ray binaries, or in many of
the well-known HMXBs with P_orb <~ 30 days receive the conventional large
kicks, with a mean speed of ~ 300 km/s. We propose that the magnitude of the
natal kick to a neutron star born in a binary system depends on the rotation
rate of the pre-collapse core. We further suggest that the rotation rate of the
core is a strong, well-defined function of the evolutionary path of the
progenitor star.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures (2 color), submitted to Ap
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