46 research outputs found
Disc reflection and a possible disc wind during a soft X-ray state in the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary 1RXS J180408.9-342058
1RXS J180408.9â342058 is a transient neutron star low-mass X-ray binary that exhibited a bright accretion outburst in 2015. We present , , and observations obtained around the peak brightness of this outburst. The source was in a soft X-ray spectral state and displayed an X-ray luminosity of (2â3) Ă 10(/5.8 kpc) erg s (0.5â10 keV). The data reveal a broad FeâK emission line that we model as relativistically broadened reflection to constrain the accretion geometry. We found that the accretion disc is viewed at an inclination of 27â35 and extended close to the neutron star, down to 5â7.5 gravitational radii (11â17 km). This inner disc radius suggests that the neutron star magnetic field strength is 2 Ă 10 G. We find a narrow absorption line in the /HEG data at an energy of 7.64 keV with a significance of 4.8. This feature could correspond to blueshifted Fe and arise from an accretion disc wind, which would imply an outflow velocity of 0.086 (25 800 km s). However, this would be extreme for an X-ray binary and it is unclear if a disc wind should be visible at the low inclination angle that we infer from our reflection analysis. Finally, we discuss how the X-ray and optical properties of 1RXS J180408.9â342058 are consistent with a relatively small ( 3 h) binary orbit.ND is supported by an NWO/Vidi grant and an EU Marie Curie Intra-European fellowship under contract no. FP-PEOPLE-2013-IEF-627148. DA acknowledges support from the Royal Society. JCAMJ is supported by an Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship (FT140101082) and an ARC Discovery Grant (DP120102393). RW and AP are supported by an NWO/TOP grant, module 1, awarded to RW. COH is supported by an NSERC Discovery Grant. ATD is supported by an NWO/Veni grant. JWTH is supported by NWO/Vidi and ERC/starting (337062) grants
Radio pulsar populations
The goal of this article is to summarize the current state of play in the
field of radio pulsar statistics. Simply put, from the observed sample of
objects from a variety of surveys with different telescopes, we wish to infer
the properties of the underlying sample and to connect these with other
astrophysical populations (for example supernova remnants or X-ray binaries).
The main problem we need to tackle is the fact that, like many areas of
science, the observed populations are often heavily biased by a variety of
selection effects. After a review of the main effects relevant to radio
pulsars, I discuss techniques to correct for them and summarize some of the
most recent results. Perhaps the main point I would like to make in this
article is that current models to describe the population are far from complete
and often suffer from strong covariances between input parameters. That said,
there are a number of very interesting conclusions that can be made concerning
the evolution of neutron stars based on current data. While the focus of this
review will be on the population of isolated Galactic pulsars, I will also
briefly comment on millisecond and binary pulsars as well as the pulsar content
of globular clusters and the Magellanic Clouds.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, to appear in Proceedings of ICREA Workshop on
The High-Energy Emission from Pulsars and their Systems, Sant Cugat, Spain,
2010 April 12-16 (Springer
Accreting Neutron Stars in Low-Mass X-Ray Binary Systems
Using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RossiXTE), astronomers have discovered
that disk-accreting neutron stars with weak magnetic fields produce three
distinct types of high-frequency X-ray oscillations. These oscillations are
powered by release of the binding energy of matter falling into the strong
gravitational field of the star or by the sudden nuclear burning of matter that
has accumulated in the outermost layers of the star. The frequencies of the
oscillations reflect the orbital frequencies of gas deep in the gravitational
field of the star and/or the spin frequency of the star. These oscillations can
therefore be used to explore fundamental physics, such as strong-field gravity
and the properties of matter under extreme conditions, and important
astrophysical questions, such as the formation and evolution of millisecond
pulsars. Observations using RossiXTE have shown that some two dozen neutron
stars in low-mass X-ray binary systems have the spin rates and magnetic fields
required to become millisecond radio-emitting pulsars when accretion ceases,
but that few have spin rates above about 600 Hz. The properties of these stars
show that the paucity of spin rates greater than 600 Hz is due in part to the
magnetic braking component of the accretion torque and to the limited amount of
angular momentum that can be accreted in such systems. Further study will show
whether braking by gravitational radiation is also a factor. Analysis of the
kilohertz oscillations has provided the first evidence for the existence of the
innermost stable circular orbit around dense relativistic stars that is
predicted by strong-field general relativity. It has also greatly narrowed the
possible descriptions of ultradense matter.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures, updated list of sources and references, to
appear in "Short-period Binary Stars: Observation, Analyses, and Results",
eds. E.F. Milone, D.A. Leahy, and D. Hobill (Dordrecht: Springer,
http://www.springerlink.com
Accreting Millisecond X-Ray Pulsars
Accreting Millisecond X-Ray Pulsars (AMXPs) are astrophysical laboratories
without parallel in the study of extreme physics. In this chapter we review the
past fifteen years of discoveries in the field. We summarize the observations
of the fifteen known AMXPs, with a particular emphasis on the multi-wavelength
observations that have been carried out since the discovery of the first AMXP
in 1998. We review accretion torque theory, the pulse formation process, and
how AMXP observations have changed our view on the interaction of plasma and
magnetic fields in strong gravity. We also explain how the AMXPs have deepened
our understanding of the thermonuclear burst process, in particular the
phenomenon of burst oscillations. We conclude with a discussion of the open
problems that remain to be addressed in the future.Comment: Review to appear in "Timing neutron stars: pulsations, oscillations
and explosions", T. Belloni, M. Mendez, C.M. Zhang Eds., ASSL, Springer;
[revision with literature updated, several typos removed, 1 new AMXP added
Physics of Neutron Star Crusts
The physics of neutron star crusts is vast, involving many different research
fields, from nuclear and condensed matter physics to general relativity. This
review summarizes the progress, which has been achieved over the last few
years, in modeling neutron star crusts, both at the microscopic and macroscopic
levels. The confrontation of these theoretical models with observations is also
briefly discussed.Comment: 182 pages, published version available at
<http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2008-10
Tracking of an electron beam through the solar corona with LOFAR
© ESO 2018. The Sun's activity leads to bursts of radio emission, among other phenomena. An example is type-III radio bursts. They occur frequently and appear as short-lived structures rapidly drifting from high to low frequencies in dynamic radio spectra. They are usually interpreted as signatures of beams of energetic electrons propagating along coronal magnetic field lines. Here we present novel interferometric LOFAR (LOw Frequency ARray) observations of three solar type-III radio bursts and their reverse bursts with high spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution. They are consistent with a propagation of the radio sources along the coronal magnetic field lines with nonuniform speed. Hence, the type-III radio bursts cannot be generated by a monoenergetic electron beam, but by an ensemble of energetic electrons with a spread distribution in velocity and energy. Additionally, the density profile along the propagation path is derived in the corona. It agrees well with three-fold coronal density model by (1961, ApJ, 133, 983)
Relativistic Binaries in Globular Clusters
Galactic globular clusters are old, dense star systems typically containing
10\super{4}--10\super{7} stars. As an old population of stars, globular
clusters contain many collapsed and degenerate objects. As a dense population
of stars, globular clusters are the scene of many interesting close dynamical
interactions between stars. These dynamical interactions can alter the
evolution of individual stars and can produce tight binary systems containing
one or two compact objects. In this review, we discuss theoretical models of
globular cluster evolution and binary evolution, techniques for simulating this
evolution that leads to relativistic binaries, and current and possible future
observational evidence for this population. Our discussion of globular cluster
evolution will focus on the processes that boost the production of hard binary
systems and the subsequent interaction of these binaries that can alter the
properties of both bodies and can lead to exotic objects. Direct {\it N}-body
integrations and Fokker--Planck simulations of the evolution of globular
clusters that incorporate tidal interactions and lead to predictions of
relativistic binary populations are also discussed. We discuss the current
observational evidence for cataclysmic variables, millisecond pulsars, and
low-mass X-ray binaries as well as possible future detection of relativistic
binaries with gravitational radiation.Comment: 88 pages, 13 figures. Submitted update of Living Reviews articl
The Role of Binary Pulsars in Testing Gravity Theories
Radio pulsars are neutron stars (NSs) which emit collimated beams of radio waves, observed as pulses, once per rotation of the NS. A subgroup of the radio pulsars behave as highly stable clocks and monitoring the times of arrival of their radio pulses can provide an accurate determination of their positional, rotational, and orbital parameters, as well as indications on the properties of their space-time environment. In this chapter, we focus on the so-called relativistic binary pulsars, recycled NSs orbiting around a compact companion star. Some of them can be used as unique tools to test general relativity and other gravitational theories. The methodology for exploiting these sources as laboratories for gravity theories is first explained and then some of the most relevant recent results are reviewed. <P /