Model for bursting X-ray sources: time-dependent accretion by magnetic neutron stars and degenerate dwarfs

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/155570· OSTI ID:7210010

Lamb, F K; Fabian, A C; Pringle, J E; Lamb, D Q

We consider spherically symmetric accretion flow onto a strongly magnetic compact star. We show that under certain conditions such flow is intermittent, and that the resultant time-dependent X-ray emission from the stellar surface is akin to that observed in the bursting X-ray sources. The stability properties of the magnetosphere of a compact star provide a natural gating mechanism that can produce burst rise times (approx.0.1--1 s) and durations (approx.1--100 s) which are much shorter than the time (approx.10--10/sup 5/ s) between bursts. A key feature of high-luminosity flows is the interaction of the burst radiation with the accreting matter, which determines the burst shape and the time between bursts.Four distinct types of burstlike flows are possible, depending on the luminosity and temperature of the burst radiation. In each type of flow the bursts are terminated by a different physical mechanism: compressional heating of matter at the magnetospheric boundary, Compton heating of matter at the boundary, Compton heating of matter far from the boundary, or radiation pressure. The possible burst luminosities produced by such flows range from 9 or approx. =10/sup 36/ erg s/sup -1/ for the low-luminosity flow up to 10/sup 38/-10/sup 39/ ergs s/sup -1/ for the high-luminosity flows.Flows of the type studied here may be able to account both for behavior like that of the rapid burster, MXB 1730--335, and like that of the high-luminosity, long-period bursters, such as 3U1820--30=NGC 6624 and MXB 1728--34.

• Research Organization: Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, Cambridge, England
• OSTI ID: 7210010
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 217:1; 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
ATMOSPHERES
BASIC INTERACTIONS
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
COMPTON EFFECT
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
DWARF STARS
ELASTIC SCATTERING
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERACTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
INSTABILITY
INTERACTIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC STARS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NEUTRON STARS
PLASMA
RADIATION PRESSURE
RADIATIONS
RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY
SCATTERING
SHOCK WAVES
STAR ACCRETION
STAR EVOLUTION
STAR MODELS
STARS
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
TIME DEPENDENCE
WHITE DWARF STARS