Occurrence of streams and disks in massive x-ray binary systems
The simple picture that mass transfer in massive X-ray binaries takes place by a stellar wind is a gross oversimplification. Data from the best observed systems in this category indicate that most companion stars fill their critical lobe completely, and are losing mass both by stellar wind and by lobe overflow. The fraction of overflowing matter that can accrete onto the compact object strongly depends on the companion's rotation rate,and is low when the companion rotates much more slowly than the binary system (as seems typical). The rest of the overflowing matter leaves the system in a stream or fan, which is probably responsible for the strong absorption feature in the X-ray light curve that massive binaries generally show between orbital phases 0.5 and 0.8. An accretion disk will form around the compact object if the accreting matter has sufficient angular momentum; and since there is little (average) angular momentum in the mateial from the wind, a certain minimum fraction of the accreting matter is required to come from the overflow. This condition is likely to be satisfied in several of the massive X-ray binaries, so that the occurrence of disks in these systems should not be considered a rarity. Other observational evidence seems to support this conclusion.
- Research Organization:
- Princeton University Observatory
- OSTI ID:
- 6659177
- Journal Information:
- Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 224:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF WIND ACCRETION IN SYMBIOTIC BINARIES
Models for compact pulsing x-ray sources
Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
BINARY STARS
STAR ACCRETION
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
BLACK HOLES
MASS TRANSFER
STELLAR WINDS
SUPERGIANT STARS
SUPERMASSIVE STARS
GIANT STARS
STAR EVOLUTION
STARS
640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
640103 - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources- (-1987)