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Black Hole and Neutron Star Transients in Quiescence

Menou, Kristen and Esin, Ann A. and Narayan, Ramesh and Garcia, Michael R. and Lasota, Jean-Pierre and McClintock, Jeffrey E. (1999) Black Hole and Neutron Star Transients in Quiescence. Astrophysical Journal, 520 (1). pp. 276-291. ISSN 0004-637X. doi:10.1086/307443. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20170408-142517670

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Abstract

We consider the X-ray luminosity difference between neutron star and black hole soft X-ray transients (NS and BH SXTs) in quiescence. The current observational data suggest that BH SXTs are significantly fainter than NS SXTs. The luminosities of quiescent BH SXTs are consistent with the predictions of binary-evolution models for the mass transfer rate if (1) accretion occurs via an advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF) in these systems and (2) the accreting compact objects have event horizons. The luminosities of quiescent NS SXTs are not consistent with the predictions of ADAF models when combined with binary-evolution models, unless most of the mass accreted in the ADAF is prevented from reaching the neutron star surface. We consider the possibility that mass accretion is reduced in quiescent NS SXTs because of an efficient propeller and develop a model of the propeller effect that accounts for the observed luminosities. We argue that modest winds from ADAFs are consistent with the observations, while strong winds are probably not.


Item Type:Article
Related URLs:
URLURL TypeDescription
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/307443DOIArticle
http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/307443/metaPublisherArticle
http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9810323arXivDiscussion Paper
ORCID:
AuthorORCID
Narayan, Ramesh0000-0002-1919-2730
Additional Information:© 1999. The American Astronomical Society. Received 1998 October 16; accepted 1999 February 24. We are grateful to Josh Grindlay, Mario Livio, Philip Podsiadlowski, Dimitrios Psaltis, and Eliot Quataert for useful discussions, and to an anonymous referee for constructive comments. A. E. and R. N. also gratefully acknowledge their conversation with Shuang-Nan Zhang, who suggested the idea of a propeller effect in the context of a quasi-spherical accretion flow. This work was supported in part by NASA grant NAG 5-2837. K. M. was supported by a Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) Predoctoral Fellowship and a French Higher Education Ministry Grant. A. E. was supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and by NASA through AXAF Fellowship grant PF8-10002 awarded by the AXAF Science Center, which is operated by the SAO for NASA under contract NAS8-39073.
Funders:
Funding AgencyGrant Number
NASANAG 5-2837
Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatoryUNSPECIFIED
Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieurUNSPECIFIED
NSF Graduate Research FellowshipUNSPECIFIED
NASA Chandra FellowshipPF8-10002
NASANAS8-39073
Subject Keywords:accretion, accretion disks; binaries: close; black hole physics; stars: magnetic fields; stars: neutron; X-rays: stars
Issue or Number:1
DOI:10.1086/307443
Record Number:CaltechAUTHORS:20170408-142517670
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20170408-142517670
Official Citation:Kristen Menou et al 1999 ApJ 520 276
Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:75939
Collection:CaltechAUTHORS
Deposited By: 1Science Import
Deposited On:21 Apr 2017 18:58
Last Modified:15 Nov 2021 16:56

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