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Late-time evolution of ultracompact X-ray binaries

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2013

L. M. van Haaften ,
G. Nelemans  and
R. Voss
L. M. van Haaften*
Affiliation:
Department of Astrophysics/ IMAPP, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
G. Nelemans
Affiliation:
Department of Astrophysics/ IMAPP, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands Institute for Astronomy, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
R. Voss
Affiliation:
Department of Astrophysics/ IMAPP, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
*
* email: L.vanHaaften@astro.ru.nl
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Abstract

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Ultracompact X-ray binaries (UCXBs) have orbital periods shorter than about 80 minutes and typically consist of a neutron star that accretes hydrogen-poor matter from a white dwarf companion. Angular momentum loss via gravitational wave radiation drives mass transfer via Roche-lobe overflow. The late-time evolution of UCXBs is poorly understood – all 13 known systems are relatively young and it is not clear why. One question is whether old UCXBs actually still exist, or have they become disrupted at some point? Alternatively they may be simply too faint to see. To investigate this, we apply the theories of dynamical instability, the magnetic propeller effect, and evaporation of the donor, to the UCXB evolution. We find that both the propeller effect and evaporation are promising explanations for the absence of observed long-period UCXBs.

Keywords

Binaries: closeaccretionX-rays: binariesstars: neutronwhite dwarfs
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 8 , Symposium S290: Feeding Compact Objects: Accretion on All Scales , August 2012 , pp. 153 - 156
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2013

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