Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
1994-05-27
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
32 pages (10 postsript figures available on request), PlainTeX
Scientific paper
10.1086/174643
A model for stationary, radiatively driven winds from X--ray bursting neutron stars is presented. General relativistic hydrodynamical and radiative transfer equations are integrated from the neutron star surface outwards, taking into account for helium nuclear burning in the inner, dense, nearly hydrostatic shells. Radiative processes include both bremsstrahlung emission--absorption and Compton scattering; only the frequency--integrated transport is considered here. It is shown that each solution is characterized by just one parameter: the mass loss rate $\Mdot$, or, equivalently, the envelope mass $\Menv$. We found that, owing to the effects of Comptonization, steady, supersonic winds can exist only for $\Mdot$ larger than a limiting value $\Mdot_{min} \approx\Mdot_{E}$. Several models, covering about two decades in mass loss rate, have been computed for given neutron star parameters. We discuss how the sequence of our solutions with decreasing $\Menv$ can be used to follow the time evolution of a strong X--ray burst during the expansion/contraction phase near to the luminosity maximum. The comparison between our numerical results and the observational data of Haberl {\it et al.\/} (1987) for the bursts in 4U/MXB 1820-30 gives an estimate for both the spectral hardening factor and the accretion rate in this source.
Lapidus Iosif
Nobili Luciano
Turolla Roberto
No associations
LandOfFree
Winds from Neutron Stars and Strong Type I X--Ray Bursts does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Winds from Neutron Stars and Strong Type I X--Ray Bursts, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Winds from Neutron Stars and Strong Type I X--Ray Bursts will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-144435