Y. Cavecchi

Implications of Burst Oscillations from the Slowly Rotating Accreting Pulsar IGR J17480?2446 in the Globular Cluster Terzan 5

The recently discovered accreting X-ray pulsar IGR J17480-2446 spins at a frequency of {approx}11 Hz. We show that Type I X-ray bursts from this source display oscillations at the same frequency as the stellar spin. IGR J17480-2446 is the first secure case of a slowly rotating neutron star (NS) which shows Type I burst oscillations (BOs), all other sources featuring such oscillations spin at hundreds of Hertz. This means that we can test BO models in a completely different regime. We explore the origin of Type I BOs in IGR J17480-2446 and conclude that they are not caused by global modes in the NS ocean. We also show that the Coriolis force is not able to confine an oscillation-producing hot spot on the stellar surface. The most likely scenario is that the BOs are produced by a hot spot confined by hydromagnetic stresses.

Low-level accretion in neutron star X-ray binaries

We search the literature for reports on the spectral properties of neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries when they have accretion luminosities between 1034 and 1036 erg s−1, corresponding to roughly 0.01-1 per cent of the Eddington accretion rate for a neutron star. We found that in this luminosity range the photon index (obtained from fitting a simple absorbed power law in the 0.5-10 keV range) increases with decreasing 0.5-10 keV X-ray luminosity (i.e. the spectrum softens). Such behaviour has been reported before for individual sources, but here we demonstrate that very likely most (if not all) neutron star systems behave in a similar manner and possibly even follow a universal relation. When comparing the neutron star systems with black hole systems, it is clear that most black hole binaries have significantly harder spectra at luminosities of 1034-1035 erg s−1. Despite a limited number of data points, there are indications that these spectral differences also extend to the 1035-1036 erg s−1 range, but above a luminosity of 1035 erg s−1 the separation between neutron star and black hole systems is not as clear as below. In addition, the black hole spectra only become softer below luminosities of 1034 erg s−1 compared to 1036 erg s−1 for the neutron star systems. This observed difference between the neutron star binaries and black hole ones suggests that the spectral properties (between 0.5 and 10 keV) at 1034-1035 erg s−1 can be used to tentatively determine the nature of the accretor in unclassified X-ray binaries. More observations in this luminosity range are needed to determine how robust this diagnostic tool is and whether or not there are (many) systems that do not follow the general trend. We discuss our results in the context of properties of the accretion flow at low luminosities and we suggest that the observed spectral differences likely arise from the neutron star surface becoming dominantly visible in the X-ray spectra. We also suggest that both the thermal component and the non-thermal component might be caused by low-level accretion on to the neutron star surface for luminosities below a few times 1034 erg s−1.

The Return of the Bursts: Thermonuclear Flashes from Circinus X-1

We report the detection of 15 X-ray bursts with RXTE and Swift observations of the peculiar X-ray binary Circinus X-1 (Cir X-1) during its 2010 May X-ray re-brightening. These are the first X-ray bursts observed from the source after the initial discovery by Tennant and collaborators, 25 years ago. By studying their spectral evolution, we firmly identify nine of the bursts as type I (thermonuclear) X-ray bursts. We obtain an arcsecond location of the bursts that confirms once and for all the identification of Cir X-1 as a type I X-ray burst source, and therefore as a low magnetic field accreting neutron star. The first five bursts observed by RXTE are weak and show approximately symmetric light curves, without detectable signs of cooling along the burst decay. We discuss their possible nature. Finally, we explore a scenario to explain why Cir X-1 shows thermonuclear bursts now but not in the past, when it was extensively observed and accreting at a similar rate.

DISCOVERY OF AN ACCRETING MILLISECOND PULSAR IN THE ECLIPSING BINARY SYSTEM SWIFT J1749.4-2807

We report on the discovery and the timing analysis of the first eclipsing accretion-powered millisecond X-ray pulsar (AMXP): SWIFT J1749.4-2807. The neutron star rotates at a frequency of similar to 517.9 Hz and is in a binary system with an orbital period of 8.8 hr and a projected semimajor axis of similar to 1.90 lt-s. Assuming a neutron star between 0.8 and 2.2 M-circle dot and using the mass function of the system and the eclipse half-angle, we constrain the mass of the companion and the inclination of the system to be in the similar to 0.46-0.81 M-circle dot and similar to 74 degrees.4-77 degrees.3 range, respectively. To date, this is the tightest constraint on the orbital inclination of any AMXP. As in other AMXPs, the pulse profile shows harmonic content up to the third overtone. However, this is the first AMXP to show a first overtone with rms amplitudes between similar to 6% and similar to 23%, which is the strongest ever seen and which can be more than two times stronger than the fundamental. The fact that SWIFT J1749.4-2807 is an eclipsing system that shows uncommonly strong harmonic content suggests that it might be the best source to date to set constraints on neutron star properties including compactness and geometry.

Discovery of burst oscillations in the intermittent accretion-powered millisecond pulsar HETE J1900.1-2455

We report the discovery of burst oscillations from the intermittent accretion-powered millisecond pulsar (AMP) HETE J1900.1-2455, with a frequency ~1 Hz below the known spin frequency. The burst oscillation properties are far more similar to those of the non-AMPs and Aql X-1 (an intermittent AMP with a far lower duty cycle), than those of the AMPs SAX J1808.4-3658 and XTE J1814-338. We discuss the implications for models of the burst oscillation and intermittency mechanisms.

Flame Propagation on the Surfaces of Rapidly Rotating Neutron Stars during Type I X-ray Bursts

We present the first vertically resolved hydrodynamic simulations of a laterally propagating, deflagrating flame in the thin helium ocean of a rotating accreting neutron star. We use a new hydrodynamics solver tailored to deal with the large discrepancy in horizontal and vertical length scales typical of neutron star oceans, and which filters out sound waves that would otherwise limit our timesteps. We find that the flame moves horizontally with velocities of the order of 10 5 cm s 1 , crossing the ocean in a few seconds, broadly consistent with the rise times of Type I X-ray bursts. We address the open question of what drives flame propagation, and find that heat is transported from burning to unburnt fuel by a combination of topto-bottom conduction and mixing driven by a baroclinic instability. The speed of the flame propagation is therefore a sensitive function of the ocean conductivity and spin: we explore this dependence for an astrophysically relevant range of parameters and find that in general flame propagation is faster for slower rotation and higher conductivity.

Rotational effects in thermonuclear type I bursts: equatorial crossing and directionality of flame spreading

In a previous study on thermonuclear (type I) bursts on accreting neutron stars, we addressed and demonstrated the importance of the effects of rotation, through the Coriolis force, on the propagation of the burning flame. However, that study only analysed cases of longitudinal propagation, where the Coriolis force coefficient 2Ωcos θ was constant. In this paper, we study the effects of rotation on propagation in the meridional (latitudinal) direction, where the Coriolis force changes from its maximum at the poles to zero at the equator. We find that the zero Coriolis force at the equator, while affecting the structure of the flame, does not prevent its propagation from one hemisphere to another. We also observe structural differences between the flame propagating towards the equator and that propagating towards the pole, the second being faster. In the light of the recent discovery of the low spin frequency of burster IGR J17480-2446 rotating at 11 Hz (for which Coriolis effects should be negligible), we also extend our simulations to slow rotation.

Fast and slow magnetic deflagration fronts in type I X-ray bursts

Type I X-ray bursts are produced by thermonuclear runaways that develop on accreting neutron stars. Once one location ignites, the flame propagates across the surface of the star. Flame propagation is fundamental in order to understand burst properties like rise time and burst oscillations. Previous work quantified the effects of rotation on the front, showing that the flame propagates as a deflagration and that the front strongly resembles a hurricane. However, the effect of magnetic fields was not investigated, despite the fact that magnetic fields strong enough to have an effect on the propagating flame are expected to be present on many bursters. In this paper, we show how the coupling between fluid layers introduced by an initially vertical magnetic field plays a decisive role in determining the character of the fronts that are responsible for the type I bursts. In particular, on a star spinning at 450 Hz (typical among the bursters), we test seed magnetic fields of 107–1010 G and find that for the medium fields the magnetic stresses that develop during the burst can speed up the velocity of the burning front, bringing the simulated burst rise time close to the observed values. By contrast, in a magnetic slow rotator like IGR J17480−2446, spinning at 11 Hz, a seed field ≳109 G is required to allow localized ignition and the magnetic field plays an integral role in generating the burst oscillations observed during the bursts.

Relativistic outflow from two thermonuclear shell flashes on neutron stars

We study the exceptionally short (32–43 ms) precursors of two intermediate-duration thermonuclear X-ray bursts observed with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer from the neutron stars in 4U 0614+09 and 2S 0918-549. They exhibit photon fluxes that surpass those at the Eddington limit later in the burst by factors of 2.6 to 3.1. We are able to explain both the short duration and the super-Eddington flux by mildly relativistic outflow velocities of 0.1c to 0.3c subsequent to the thermonuclear shell flashes on the neutron stars. These are the highest velocities ever measured from any thermonuclear flash. The precursor rise times are also exceptionally short: about 1 ms. This is inconsistent with predictions for nuclear flames spreading laterally as deflagrations and suggests detonations instead. This is the first time that a detonation is suggested for such a shallow ignition column depth (yign ≈ 10 10 gc m −2 ). The detonation would possibly require a faster nuclear reaction chain, such as bypassing the α-capture on 12 C with the much faster 12 C(p ,γ ) 13 N(α, p) 16 O process previously proposed. We confirm the possibility of a detonation, albeit only in the radial direction, through the simulation of the nuclear burning with a large nuclear network and at the appropriate ignition depth, although it remains to be seen whether the Zel’dovich criterion is met. A detonation would also provide the fast flame spreading over the surface of the neutron star to allow for the short rise times. This needs to be supported by future two-dimensional calculations of flame spreading at the relevant column depth. As an alternative to the detonation scenario, we speculate on the possibility that the whole neutron star surface burns almost instantly in the auto-ignition regime. This is motivated by the presence of 150 ms precursors with 30 ms rise times in some superexpansion bursts from 4U 1820-30 at low ignition column depths of ∼10 8 gc m −2 .

A numerical magnetohydrodynamic scheme using the hydrostatic approximation

In gravitationally stratified fluids, length scales are normally much greater in the horizontal direction than in the vertical one. When modelling these fluids it can be advantageous to use the hydrostatic approximation, which filters out vertically propagating sound waves and thus allows a greater time-step. We briefly review this approximation, which is commonplace in atmospheric physics, and compare it to other approximations used in astrophysics such as Boussinesq and anelastic, finding that it should be the best approximation to use in context such as radiative stellar zones, compact objects, stellar or planetary atmospheres and other contexts. We describe a finite-difference numerical scheme which uses this approximation, which includes magnetic fields.