Low-Mass X-ray Binary Populations

Abstract

Low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) have been studied in the Galaxy since the beginning of X-ray astronomy. A lot has been learned about these bright X-ray sources, but significant questions are still open. These questions are related to the origin and evolution of LMXBs, dynamical evolution in globular clusters (GC) or evolution of native field binaries, and on how their properties may depend on those of the parent stellar population. The discovery of several populations LMXB populations in elliptical galaxies with Chandra gives us tools to look at these sources in a new way.Comment: Talk given at the meeting Mykonos-2010:"Binary Star Evolution: Mass Loss, Accretion, and Mergers". Submitted for publication in the proceeding