Overview of QPOs in neutron-star low-mass X-ray binaries

Some aspects of the rapid X-ray variability of low magnetic-field neutron stars in low-mass X-ray binaries are briefly summarized.     

Magnetar descendants in HMXBs?

We investigate the relation between the pulse and orbital periods in high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs), in order to find the candidates of magnetar descendants in HMXBs. We suggest that magnetar descendants can be found among the HMXBs with relatively shorter orbital periods and longer pulse periods.     

Radiation-driven diskons: An overview

The current status of the theory of a new astrophysical phenomenon, aradiation-driven diskon, is outlined.The cyclotron radiation pressure around sufficiently hot, strongly magnetized white dwarfs and neutron stars is shown to be able to drive a wind from the photosphere and support a plasma envelope in the closed part of the magnetosphere. The magnetohydrostatic configuration of an optically thin, radiatively supported plasma envelope is determined. It consists of an equatorial disk in the region where the cyclotron radiation force exceeds the local force of gravity and a closed shell near the equilibrium surface where the radiation pressure equals gravity. The effects of finite optical depth on the behaviour of the magnetospheric plasma and the influence of the envelope on the observed radiation are discussed.Classes of magnetic degenerate stars are pointed out in which radiation-driven diskons may be found. The best candidates are two individual stars, the strongly magnetized white dwarfs GD 229 and PG 1031+234. Both exhibit broad and deep depressions in the ultraviolet which are explained as a result of cyclotron scattering by an optically thick radiation-driven envelope in the inhomogeneous magnetic field of the star. We predict a temporal and spectral variability of these features due to non-stationary plasma motions in the envelope.     

Evolution of binaries with chemically peculiar primaries

The chemically peculiar (CP) stars are classified into subgroups based on the type of peculiarities. A significant fraction of these are known to be binaries. The faster evolution of the massive component leads to a white dwarf or a neutron star. Further evolution of the binary is analysed taking into consideration, the orbital parameters, effect of magnetic field, spectroscopic peculiarities and finally the statistics of CP binaries and Low Mass X-ray Binaries (LMXB).

The possible consequences of the evolution to lead to the formation of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables (MCV) and LMXB are discussed.     

Near infrared studies of the massive X-ray binary 2S 0114+65

We present near-infrared spectroscopy of the massive X-ray binary 2S 0114+650. These observations covering the spectral range 1.08–2.35 μm span the region where Paschen and Brackett series recombination lines of hydrogen are expected to be seen, namely, Paβ , Brγ and Br 10–17 lines. The absence of any of these lines in emission supports earlier inferences that the optical component in 2S 0114+650 is unlikely to be a Be star but rather a B type supergiant. Near-IR photometry gives J = 8.78, H = 8.53 and K = 7.96; these values show marginal variations from earlier reported measurements.     

两星一地时差定位方法性能分析

针对同轨多星定位系统以及高低轨联合定位系统需要卫星数量多的特点,设想地面站和卫星联合定位体制。考虑到时差定位体制对卫星运动不敏感的特征,提出一星三地和两星一地2种定位体制,从定位场景、定位原理、理论定位误差和误差分布4个方面对定位效能分析。重点论述了两星一地时差定位误差的地理分布、时间分布以及受高度的影响,对将来的工程化应用提供支撑。     

The effective temperatures of O-type stars from UV spectroscopy

We present an analysis of high resolution spectra in the far-UV – UV range (∼905–2000 Å) with non-LTE, spherical, hydrodynamical, line-blanketed models, of three O-type Galactic stars, and derive their photospheric and wind parameters. These data extend previously analyzed samples and fill a gap in spectral type coverage. The combined sample confirms a revised (downward) T_eff scale with respect to canonical calibrations, as found in our previous works from UV and optical spectra, and in recent works by other authors.     

Analytic and numerical treatment of motion of dust grain particle around triangular equilibrium points with post-AGB binary star and disc

This paper investigates the motion around the triangular equilibrium points, of a passively gravitating dust particle in the gravitational field of a low-mass post-AGB binary system, surrounded by circumbinary disc. The two bodies of the binary are modeled as a triaxial star and a radiating-oblate star. Due to small deviation of disc stars on circular orbits, we have assumed that the Coriolis and centrifugal forces of the stars are slightly perturbed. The triangular equilibrium points of the particle are found. These points are defined by, triaxiality of the primary star, oblateness and radiation of the secondary one and the gravitational potential from the disc mass. Further, when the disc mass increases, the particle moves nearer to the stars and farther away from the disc. In general, these equilibrium points are linearly stable when μ < μ_C; where μ is the mass ratio and μ_C is the critical mass function, defined by the parameters of the system. The effects of each of these parameters on the size of the stability region are stated, and the periodic motion around the stable points is examined. It is seen that the orbits are ellipses, and the orientation, eccentricities, lengths of the semi-major and semi-minor axes are influenced by the parameters of the problem. In particular, for our numerical linear stability analysis, we have taken an extremely depleted pulsating star, IRAS 11472-0800 as the post-AGB triaxial star, with a weakly-radiating young white dwarf star; G29-38 as the secondary. For this system, the stability result of the triangular points comes out different. Here, μ_C < μ throughout the entire range of the mass ratio and the critical mass function. Hence, the triangular equilibrium points are unstable. The stability of the orbits is tested using the Poincaré surfaces of section (Pss). The region of stability is controlled by the introduced parameters and the Jacobi constant.     

Wolf–Rayet optically thick winds with Alfvén waves

The Wolf–Rayet (WR) stars are hot luminous objects which are suffering an extreme mass loss via a continuous stellar wind. The high values of mass loss rates and high terminal velocities of the WR stellar winds constitute a challenge to the theories of radiation driven winds. Several authors incorporated magnetic forces to the line driven mechanism in order to explain these characteristics of the wind. Observations indicate that the WR stellar winds may reach, at the photosphere, velocities of the order of the terminal values, which means that an important part of the wind acceleration occurs at the optically thick region. The aim of this study is to analyze a model in which the wind in a WR star begins to be accelerated in the optically thick part of the wind. We used as initial conditions stellar parameters taken from the literature and solved the energy, mass and momentum equations. We demonstrate that the acceleration only by radiative forces is prevented by the general behavior of the opacities. Combining radiative forces plus a flux of Alfvén waves, we found in the simulations a fast drop in the wind density profile which strongly reduces the extension of the optically thick region and the wind becomes optically thin too close its base. The understanding how the WR wind initiate is still an open issue.     

Optical,ultraviolet, and infrared observations of isolated neutron stars

Forty years passed since the optical identification of the first isolated neutron star (INS), the Crab pulsar. 25 INSs have been now identified in the optical (O), near-ultraviolet (nUV), or near-infrared (nIR), hereafter UVOIR, including rotation-powered pulsars (RPPs), magnetars, and X-ray-dim INSs (XDINSs), while deep investigations have been carried out for compact central objects (CCOs), Rotating RAdio transients (RRATs), and high-magnetic field radio pulsars (HBRPs). In this review I describe the status of UVOIR observations of INSs, their emission properties, and I present the results from recent observations.