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Title: Enhanced winds and tidal streams in massive X-ray binaries

Abstract

The tidal effects created by the presence of a compact companion are expected to induce a stream of enhanced wind from the early-type primary star in massive X-ray binary systems. In this paper, two-dimensional gasdynamical simulations of such streams are presented. It is found that the wind enhancement is a sensitive function of the binary separation, and develops into a tidal stream as the primary approaches its critical surface. For typical system parameters, the Coriolis force deflects the stream sufficiently that it does not impact directly on the compact companion but passes behind it. The density in the stream can reach values of 20-30 times the ambient wind density, leading to strong attenuation of the X-ray flux that passes through the tidal stream, providing a possible explanation of the enhanced absorption events seen at later phases in the X-ray observations of massive X-ray binary systems such as Vela X-1. In contrast to the time-variable accretion wake, the tidal stream is relatively stationary, producing absorption features that should remain fixed from orbit to orbit. For systems with a strong tidal stream, the large asymmetry in the accreting wind results in the accretion of angular momentum of constant sign, as opposed tomore » systems without streams, where the sign of the accreted angular momentum can change. 39 refs.« less

Authors:
; ;  [1]
  1. Virginia, University, Charlottesville (USA) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (USA)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5469441
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 371; Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; BINARY STARS; GRAVITATIONAL INTERACTIONS; STAR MODELS; X RADIATION; ACCRETION DISKS; BLACK HOLES; COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES; GIANT STARS; MASS; NEUTRON STARS; STELLAR WINDS; BASIC INTERACTIONS; COSMIC RAY SOURCES; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; INTERACTIONS; IONIZING RADIATIONS; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; RADIATIONS; STARS; STELLAR ACTIVITY; 640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar, Radio & X-Ray Sources

Citation Formats

Blondin, J M, Stevens, I R, and Kallman, T R. Enhanced winds and tidal streams in massive X-ray binaries. United States: N. p., 1991. Web. doi:10.1086/169934.
Blondin, J M, Stevens, I R, & Kallman, T R. Enhanced winds and tidal streams in massive X-ray binaries. United States. https://doi.org/10.1086/169934
Blondin, J M, Stevens, I R, and Kallman, T R. 1991. "Enhanced winds and tidal streams in massive X-ray binaries". United States. https://doi.org/10.1086/169934.
@article{osti_5469441,
title = {Enhanced winds and tidal streams in massive X-ray binaries},
author = {Blondin, J M and Stevens, I R and Kallman, T R},
abstractNote = {The tidal effects created by the presence of a compact companion are expected to induce a stream of enhanced wind from the early-type primary star in massive X-ray binary systems. In this paper, two-dimensional gasdynamical simulations of such streams are presented. It is found that the wind enhancement is a sensitive function of the binary separation, and develops into a tidal stream as the primary approaches its critical surface. For typical system parameters, the Coriolis force deflects the stream sufficiently that it does not impact directly on the compact companion but passes behind it. The density in the stream can reach values of 20-30 times the ambient wind density, leading to strong attenuation of the X-ray flux that passes through the tidal stream, providing a possible explanation of the enhanced absorption events seen at later phases in the X-ray observations of massive X-ray binary systems such as Vela X-1. In contrast to the time-variable accretion wake, the tidal stream is relatively stationary, producing absorption features that should remain fixed from orbit to orbit. For systems with a strong tidal stream, the large asymmetry in the accreting wind results in the accretion of angular momentum of constant sign, as opposed to systems without streams, where the sign of the accreted angular momentum can change. 39 refs.},
doi = {10.1086/169934},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5469441}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal; (United States)},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = ,
volume = 371,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1991},
month = {Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1991}
}