arXiv · 1903.03455
Stellar wind accretion and accretion disk formation: applications to neutron star high mass X-ray binaries
Abstract
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.
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Shigeyuki Karino, Kenji Nakamura, Ali Taani. 2019-03-07. Stellar wind accretion and accretion disk formation: applications to neutron star high mass X-ray binaries. https://doi.org/10.1093/pasj%2Fpsz034
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