Accretion by rotating magnetic neutron stars. I. Flow of matter inside the magnetosphere and its implications for spin-up and spin-down of the star

Journal Article · Sat Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 1977 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/155606· OSTI ID:5433217

Ghosh, P; Lamb, F K; Pethick, C J

We investigate the flow of accreting matter and the configuration of the magnetic field inside the magnetosphere of a rotating neutron star. We assume that the magnetic field of the star has a symmetry axis which is aligned with the rotation axis, that the accreting plasma becomes threaded by the stellar magnetic field near the magnetospheric boundary, and that the star is not a fast rotator. We show that for bright X-ray sources, flow within the Alfven surface is well described by the equations of magnetohydrodynamics and that the matter moves along field lines when viewed in the frame corotating with the star. In the case of slow rotators, matter inside the Alfven surface rotates in a sense opposite that of the net angular momentum flux toward the star. We also study the torque exerted on the star by the accreting matter and the flow of energy within the magnetosphere and the transition region at the magnetospheric boundary, when the star accretes matter from a disk. Finally, we comment briefly on the implications of our results for pulsating X-ray sources.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• OSTI ID: 5433217
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 217:2; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
ANGULAR VELOCITY
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC STARS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
MOTION
NEUTRON STARS
PLASMA
ROTATION
STAR ACCRETION
STAR EVOLUTION
STAR MODELS
STARS
VELOCITY