Compton scattering in a converging fluid flow - Spherical near-critical accretion onto neutron stars

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (17) References (21) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Compton Scattering in a Converging Fluid Flow: Spherical Near-critical Accretion onto Neutron Stars Mastichiadis, Apostolos ; Kylafis, Nikolaos D. Abstract Compton scattering of low-frequency photons in a converging flow of cold plasma is studied. The equation of radiative transfer in the case of spherical near-critical steady state accretion onto a neutron star is solved analytically. The inner boundary condition is that the neutron star surface is completely reflective, or that there is a magnetopause with an empty cavity inside it. The photons escape diffusively and electron scattering is the dominant source of opacity. The energy gain of the photon comes entirely from the bulk motion of the converging flow of the accreting gas. The spectrum observed at infinity is a power law at high frequencies with photon number spectral index essentially -1. This spectrum is significantly flatter than that found for accretion into black holes. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: January 1992 DOI: 10.1086/170859 Bibcode: 1992ApJ...384..136M Keywords: Accretion Disks; Compton Effect; Neutron Stars; Stellar Mass Accretion; Fluid Flow; Light Scattering; Radiative Transfer; Astrophysics; ACCRETION; ACCRETION DISKS; RADIATION MECHANISMS: COMPTON AND INVERSE COMPTON; RADIATIVE TRANSFER; STARS: NEUTRON full text sources ADS |