Wind accretion in symbiotic X-ray binaries (original) (raw)
Related papers
2019
Recent X-ray observations have revealed the complexity and diversity of high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs). This diversity challenges a classical understanding of the accretion process onto the compact objects. In this study, we reinforce the conventional concept of the nature of wind-fed accretion onto a neutron star considering the geometrical effect of radiatively accelerated wind, and re-evaluate the transported angular momentum by using a simple wind model. Our results suggest that even in an OB-type HMXB fed by stellar wind, a large amount of angular momentum could be transported to form an accretion disk due to the wind-inhomogeneity, if the binary separation is tight enough and/or stellar wind is slow. We apply our model into actual systems such as LMC X-4 and OAO 1657-415, and discuss the possibility of disk formations in these systems.
Stellar wind accretion in high-mass X-ray binaries
2009
Recent discoveries have confirmed the existence of a large population of X-ray sources fuelled by accretion from the stellar wind of an OB supergiant. Such systems are powerful laboratories to study many aspects of astrophysics. Over the last decades, the physics of accretion in these systems has been the subject of extensive research, mainly through numerical methods. In spite of this effort, large uncertainties remain in our understanding, reflecting the complexity of the physical situation. A crucial issue that remains open is the possible formation of accretion discs. Though the spin evolution of neutron stars in these systems suggests that angular momentum is, at least occasionally, accreted, and many observational facts seem to require the existence of discs, computational results do not favour this possibility. In this brief review, I will summarise some of the open questions in this area.
On the possibility of disk-fed formation in supergiant high-mass X-ray binaries.pdf
Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2019
We have considered the existence of neutron star magnetic field given by the cyclotron lines. We collected the data of 9 sources of high-mass X-ray binaries with supergiant companions as a case of testing our model, to demonstrate their distribution and evolution. The wind velocity, spin period and magnetic field strength are studied under different mass loss rate. In our model, correlations between mass-loss rate and wind velocity are found and can be tested in further observations. We examined the parameter space where wind accretion is allowed, avoiding barrier of rotating magnetic fields, with robust data of magnetic field of neutron stars. Our model shows that most of sources (6 of9 systems) can be fed by the wind with relatively slow velocity, and this result is consistent with previous predictions. In a few sources, our model cannot fit under the standard wind accretion scenario. In these peculiar cases, other scenarios (disk formation, partial Roche lobe overflow) should be considered. This would provide information about the evolutionary tracks of various types of binaries, and thus show a clear dichotomy behavior in wind-fed X-ray binary systems.
On the possibility of disk-fed formation in supergiant high-mass X-ray binaries
Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2019
We consider the existence of a neutron star magnetic field by the detected cyclotron lines. We collected data on nine sources of high-mass X-ray binaries with supergiant companions as a test case for our model, to demonstrate their distribution and evolution. The wind velocity, spin period and magnetic field strength are studied under different mass loss rates. In our model, correlations between mass-loss rate and wind velocity are found and can be tested in further observations. We examine the parameter space where wind accretion is allowed, avoiding the barrier of rotating magnetic fields, with robust data on the magnetic field of neutron stars. Our model shows that most sources (six of nine systems) can be fed by the wind with relatively slow velocity, and this result is consistent with previous predictions. In a few sources, our model cannot fit the standard wind accretion scenario. In these peculiar cases, other scenarios (disk formation, partial Roche lobe overflow) should be considered. This would provide information about the evolutionary tracks of various types of binaries, and thus exhibit a clear dichotomy behavior in wind-fed X-ray binary systems.
R A L 2 0 1 0 ) 0 1 5 Wind accretion in symbiotic X-ray binaries
2011
K. Postnov ∗a, N. Shakura a, A. González-Galán b, E. Kuulkers c, P. Kretschmar c, S. Larsson d, M.H. Finger e, f , A. Kochetkova a, G. Lüg and L. Yungelson h aSternberg Astronomical Institute, 13, Universitetskij pr ., 119992 Moscow, Russia b Departamento de Física, Ingeniería de Sistemas y Teoría de l S ñal,Universidad de Alicante, Apdo. 99, 03080 Alicante, Spain c European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC), P.O. Box 78, 28691, Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain d Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 S tockholm, Sweden e National Space Science and Technology Center, 320 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA f Universities Space Research Association, 6767 Old Madison Pike, Suite 450, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA g School of Physics, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830046 Chi na h Institute of Astronomy RAS, Moscow, 48 Pyatnitskaya Str., M oscow, 119017, Russia E-mail: kpostnov@gmail.com, nikolai.shakura@gmail.com, anagonzalez@ua.es,Erik.Kuulkers@sciops.esa.int Peter.Kretsc...
Accretion in supergiant High Mass X-ray Binaries
EPJ Web of Conferences, 2014
Supergiant High Mass X-ray Binary systems (sgHMXBs) consist of a massive, late type, star and a neutron star. The massive stars exhibits strong, radiatively driven, stellar winds. Wind accretion onto compact object triggers X-ray emission, which alters the stellar wind significantly. Hydrodynamic simulation has been used to study the neutron star-stellar wind interaction it two sgHMXBs: i) A heavily obscured sgHMXB (IGR J17252 − 3616) discovered by INTEGRAL. To account for observable quantities (i.e., absorbing column density) we have to assume a very slow wind terminal velocity of about 500 km/s and a rather massive neutron star. If confirmed in other obscured systems, this could provide a completely new stellar wind diagnostics. ii) A classical sgHMXB (Vela X-1) has been studied in depth to understand the origin of the off-states observed in this system. Among many models used to account for this observed behavior (clumpy wind, gating mechanism) we propose that self-organized criticality of the accretion stream is the likely reason for the observed behavior. In conclusion, the neutron star, in these two examples, acts very efficiently as a probe to study stellar winds.
2016
Supergiant High Mass X-ray Binary systems (sgHMXBs) consist of a massive, late type, star and a neutron star. The massive stars exhibits strong, radiatively driven, stellar winds. Wind accretion onto compact object triggers X-ray emission, which alters the stellar wind significantly. Hydrodynamic simulation has been used to study the neutron star-stellar wind interaction it two sgHMXBs: i) A heavily obscured sgHMXB (IGR J17252 − 3616) discovered by INTEGRAL. To account for observable quantities (i.e., absorbing column density) we have to assume a very slow wind terminal velocity of about 500 km/s and a rather massive neutron star. If confirmed in other obscured systems, this could provide a completely new stellar wind diagnostics. ii) A classical sgHMXB (Vela X-1) has been studied in depth to understand the origin of the off-states observed in this system. Among many models used to account for this observed behavior (clumpy wind, gating mechanism) we propose that self-organized criticality of the accretion stream is the likely reason for the observed behavior. In conclusion, the neutron star, in these two examples, acts very efficiently as a probe to study stellar winds.
Accreting magnetars: a new type of high-mass X-ray binaries?
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2012
The discovery of very slow pulsations (P spin = 5560s) has solved the long-standing question of the nature of the compact object in the high-mass X-ray binary 4U 2206+54 but has posed new ones. According to spin evolutionary models in close binary systems, such slow pulsations require a neutron star magnetic field strength larger that the quantum critical value of 4.4 × 10 13 G, suggesting the presence of a magnetar. We present the first XMM-Newton observations of 4U 2206+54 and investigate its spin evolution. We find that the observed spin-down rate agrees with the magnetar scenario. We analyse ISGRI/INTEGRAL observations of 4U 2206+54 to search for the previously suggested cyclotron resonance scattering feature at ∼30 keV. We do not find a clear indication of the presence of the line, although certain spectra display shallow dips, not always at 30 keV. The association of these dips with a cyclotron line is very dubious because of its apparent transient nature. We also investigate the energy spectrum of 4U 2206+54 in the energy range 0.3-10 keV with unprecedented detail and report for the first time the detection of very weak 6.5 keV fluorescence iron lines. The photoelectric absorption is consistent with the interstellar value, indicating very small amount of local matter, which would explain the weakness of the florescence lines. The lack of matter locally to the source may be the consequence of the relatively large orbital separation of the two components of the binary. The wind would be too tenuous in the vicinity of the neutron star.
Theory of quasi-spherical accretion in X-ray pulsars
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2012
A theoretical model for quasi-spherical subsonic accretion onto slowly rotating magnetized neutron stars is constructed. In this model the accreting matter subsonically settles down onto the rotating magnetosphere forming an extended quasi-static shell.
Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2016
Context. Classical supergiant X-ray binaries (SGXBs) and supergiant fast X-ray transients (SFXTs) are two types of high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) that present similar donors but, at the same time, show very different behavior in the X-rays. The reason for this dichotomy of wind-fed HMXBs is still a matter of debate. Among the several explanations that have been proposed, some of them invoke specific stellar wind properties of the donor stars. Only dedicated empiric analysis of the donors' stellar wind can provide the required information to accomplish an adequate test of these theories. However, such analyses are scarce. Aims. To close this gap, we perform a comparative analysis of the optical companion in two important systems: IGR J17544-2619 (SFXT) and Vela X-1 (SGXB). We analyze the spectra of each star in detail and derive their stellar and wind properties. As a next step, we compare the wind parameters, giving us an excellent chance of recognizing key differences between donor winds in SFXTs and SGXBs. Methods. We use archival infrared, optical and ultraviolet observations, and analyze them with the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) Potsdam Wolf-Rayet model atmosphere code. We derive the physical properties of the stars and their stellar winds, accounting for the influence of X-rays on the stellar winds. Results. We find that the stellar parameters derived from the analysis generally agree well with the spectral types of the two donors: O9I (IGR J17544-2619) and B0.5Iae (Vela X-1). The distance to the sources have been revised and also agree well with the estimations already available in the literature. In IGR J17544-2619 we are able to narrow the uncertainty to d = 3.0 ± 0.2 kpc. From the stellar radius of the donor and its X-ray behavior, the eccentricity of IGR J17544-2619 is constrained to e < 0.25. The derived chemical abundances point to certain mixing during the lifetime of the donors. An important difference between the stellar winds of the two stars is their terminal velocities (∞ = 1500 km s −1 in IGR J17544-2619 and ∞ = 700 km s −1 in Vela X-1), which have important consequences on the X-ray luminosity of these sources. Conclusions. The donors of IGR J17544-2619 and Vela X-1 have similar spectral types as well as similar parameters that physically characterize them and their spectra. In addition, the orbital parameters of the systems are similar too, with a nearly circular orbit and short orbital period. However, they show moderate differences in their stellar wind velocity and the spin period of their neutron star which has a strong impact on the X-ray luminosity of the sources. This specific combination of wind speed and pulsar spin favors an accretion regime with a persistently high luminosity in Vela X-1, while it favors an inhibiting accretion mechanism in IGR J17544-2619. Our study demonstrates that the relative wind velocity is critical in class determination for the HMXBs hosting a supergiant donor, given that it may shift the accretion mechanism from direct accretion to propeller regimes when combined with other parameters.