Population synthesis for low and intermediate mass binaries

A review of the basic principles of the population synthesis for binary stars is presented. We discuss the break-up of low and intermediate mass close binaries over different evolutionary scenarios and, as an example, briefly consider results of the population synthesis for SN Ia.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, to appear in INTERACTING BINARIES: Accretion, Evolution and Outcomes, AIP, Eds: L. A. Antonelli, L. Burderi, F. D'Antona, T. Di Salvo, G.L. Israel, L. Piersanti, O. Straniero, A. Tornambe

The possible companions of young radio pulsars

We discuss the formation of pulsars with massive companions in eccentric orbits. We demonstrate that the probability for a non-recycled radio pulsar to have a white dwarf as a companion is comparable to that of having an old neutron star as a companion. Special emphasis is given to PSR B1820-11 and PSR B2303+46. Based on population synthesis calculations we argue that PSR B1820-11 and PSR B2303+46 could very well be accompanied by white dwarfs with mass > 1.1Msun. For PSR B1820-11, however, we can not exclude the possibility that its companion is a main-sequence star with a mass between about 0.7Msun and 5Msun.Comment: 5 pages, MNRAS in pres

Wind-accreting Symbiotic X-ray Binaries

We present a new model of the population of symbiotic X-ray binaries (SyXBs) that takes into account non-stationary character of quasi-spherical sub-sonic accretion of the red giant's stellar wind onto slowly rotating neutron stars. Updates of the earlier models are given, which include more strict criteria of slow NS rotation for plasma entry into the NS magnetosphere via Rayleigh-Taylor instability, as well as more strict conditions for settling accretion for slow stellar winds, with an account of variations in the specific angular momentum of captured stellar wind in eccentric binaries. These modifications enabled a more adequate description of the distributions of observed systems over binary orbital periods, NS spin periods and their X-ray luminosity in the $\sim 10^{32}-10^{36}$~erg s$^{-1}$ range and brought their model Galactic number into reasonable agreement with the observed one. Reconciliation of the model and observed orbital periods of SyXBs requires a low efficiency of matter expulsion from common envelopes during the evolution that results in the formation of NS-components of symbiotic X-ray systems.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, accepted in MNRA

Evolution of Ultramassive Stars

We show that even most massive initial solar composition stars hardly form black holes with mass exceeding about 100 solar mass.Comment: 2 pages, contributed talk at JD05, IAU GA XXVI, Prague, August 2006, a typo in equation remove