The nature of the ''6 second'' and related X-ray pulsars: Evolutionary and dynamical considerations

被引:49
作者
Ghosh, P [1 ]
Angelini, L [1 ]
White, NE [1 ]
机构
[1] NASA, GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CTR, HIGH ENERGY ASTROPHYS LAB, GREENBELT, MD 20771 USA
关键词
binaries; close; pulsars; general; X-rays; stars;
D O I
10.1086/303833
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
We propose that the ''6 s'' pulsars, as well as other possible evolutionary analogs of one of these, namely, 4U 1626-67, are products of common envelope (CE) evolution of high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs). Close HMXBs produce Thorne-Zytkov objects due to complete spiral-in during the CE phase, which turn either into black hole systems or into 6 s pulsars like 4U 0142 + 61 and 1E 2259 + 586 (van Paradijs, Taam, & van den Heuvel), which we call braking X-ray pulsars (BXPs). Relatively wide HMXBs eject the massive companion's envelope during the CE phase, producing helium star-neutron star binaries (HSNBs) like 4U 1626-67, Cyg X-3, and perhaps the newly discovered X-ray binary HD 49798. We show that the accretion how in BXPs is likely to have a significant spherical component which would lead to soft X-ray spectra and large equivalent blackbody areas, in accordance with observations. We argue that, on theoretical grounds, HSNBs like 4U 1626-67 are expected to show both spin-up and spin-down, and that this property sets them apart from BXPs, which are expected to show only spin-down. We discuss the subsequent evolution of BXPs and HSNBs, and stress their importance as missing links in the zoo of neutron star binaries.
引用
收藏
页码:713 / 722
页数:10
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