Wind Accretion - Observations Vs Theory

Abstract

The theory of quasi-spherical subsonic accretion onto magnetized rotating neutron star is reviewed. Different regimes of quasi-spherical accretion onto a neutron star: supersonic (Bondi) accretion, which takes place when the captured matter cools down rapidly and falls supersonically towards the neutron-star magnetosphere, and subsonic (settling) accretion which occurs when the plasma remains hot until it meets the magnetospheric boundary. In subsonic accretion, which works at X-ray luminosities $\lesssim 4\times 10^{36}$~erg~s$^{-1}$, a hot quasi-spherical shell must form around the magnetosphere, and the actual accretion rate onto the neutron star is determined by the ability of the plasma to enter the magnetosphere due to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. We show how the dimensionless parameters of the theory can be determined from observations of equilibrium X-ray pulsars (Vela X-1, GX 301-2). We also discuss how in the settling accretion theory bright X-ray flares ($\sim 10^{38}-10^{40}$~ergs) observed in supergiant fast X-ray transients (SFXT) may be produced by sporadic capture of magnetized stellar-wind plasma. At sufficiently low accretion rates, magnetic reconnection can enhance the magnetospheric plasma entry rate, resulting in copious production of X-ray photons, strong Compton cooling and ultimately in unstable accretion of the entire shell. A bright flare develops on the free-fall time scale in the shell, and the typical energy released in an SFXT bright flare corresponds to the mass of the shell.