The galactic population of binaries containing neutron stars

The research presented herein is a theoretical investigation of the formation, evolution, and ultimate fate of low-, intermediate-, and high-mass X-ray binaries (L/I/HMXBs). The primary theoretical tool used throughout is binary population synthesis. Results of these calculations are used to account for the numbers and properties of observed X-ray binaries and their descendants, as well as to direct future observational and theoretical work. Combining binary population synthesis and binary stellar evolution calculations, I present a systematic population study of L/IMXBs in the Galactic plane. Since full stellar evolution calculations are used to model the X-ray binary phase, it is possible to make detailed comparisons between the theoretical models and observations. It is demonstrated quantitatively that IMXBs probably play a crucial role in shaping the population of LMXBs observed at the current epoch, as well as their descendant binary millisecond radio pulsars. Recently, a new class of HMXBs has emerged, distinguished from other HMXBs by their wide, nearly circular orbits. I show that the discovery of a significant number of such systems is at odds with the conventional wisdom that most neutron stars receive very large "kick" speeds at birth. This problem may be rectified in a self-consistent way if the kick speed depends on the rotation rate of the pre-collapse core, which I propose is strongly influenced by the evolution of the neutron-star progenitor in a binary system. The reasonable suggestion that certain globular clusters contain nearly 1000 neutron stars conflicts with the large mean kick speeds estimated from observations of isolated radio pulsars, which are 5 to 10 times the present cluster escape speeds.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Physics.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2002

Author dc:creator

• Pfahl, Eric D. (Eric David), 1976-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Saul Rappaport.

• Physics.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/8487

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/8487