Thermal limit cycle oscillations on the surface of accreting neutron stars X-ray bursters

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With the help of a very simple two-zone model we deomonstrate the possiblity of periodic thermal relaxation (limit cycle) oscillations in the helium burning envelope of accreting neutron stars. Physically reasonable model parameters can be chosen which yield agreement with the observed features of X-ray bursts. We suggest that this limit cycle is operative in neutron stars which have an accretion rate in a specific range. For hydrogen burning a similar cycle is possible, but it operates at such high temperatures that an unrealistically large accretion rate would be required.