Models for galactic x-ray sources

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5574528

Joss, P C

Attention is given to those compact galactic x-ray sources whose x-ray luminosities are considerably in excess of the solar luminosity. It is pointed out that the key breakthrough in the development of an understanding of compact galactic x-ray sources was the discovery of x-ray pulsars with the UHURU satellite. There is now overwhelming evidence that these objects are neutron stars in close binary stellar systems. The x-ray pulsations are thought to be thermal emission from the magnetic polar caps of a neutron star that is accreting matter from a companion star and whose magnetic field is misaligned with its rotation axis. Among the compact galactic x-ray sources that are not x-ray pulsars, some still show direct evidence of binary membership, such as x-ray eclipses. There is evidence that the galactic-bulge sources are, in fact, close binary stellar systems. It is concluded, that the great majority of bright galactic x-ray sources, with only a tiny handful of exceptions (such as the Crab and Vela pulsars), are likely to be binaries.

• OSTI ID: 5574528
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102 -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
640103* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
BINARY STARS
COSMIC RADIATION
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
COSMOLOGICAL MODELS
EMISSION
ENERGY
HEAT
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LUMINOSITY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NEUTRON STARS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PULSARS
RADIATIONS
SATELLITES
STAR ACCRETION
STAR EVOLUTION
STARS
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR MAGNETOSPHERES