Thermal structure of accreting neutron stars and strange stars

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (78) References (57) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Thermal Structure of Accreting Neutron Stars and Strange Stars Miralda-Escude, J. ; Haensel, P. ; Paczynski, B. Abstract Steady-state models of accreting neutron stars and strange stars are presented, and their properties as a function of accretion rate are analyzed. The models have steady-state envelopes, with stationary hydrogen burning taken into account, the helium shell flashes artificially suppressed, and the crust with a large number of secondary heat sources. The deep interiors are almost isothermal and are close to thermal equilibrium. A large number of models were calculated for many values of the accretion rates, with ordinary, pion-condensed, and strange cores, with and without secondary heat sources in the crust, and with the heavy element content of the accreting matter in the range Z = 0.0002-0.02. All models show a similar pattern of changes as the accretion rate is varied. For low accretion rates, the hydrogen burning shell is unstable; for intermediate rates, the hydrogen burning shell is stable, but helium burning is not; for high rates, the two shell sources burn together and are unstable. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: October 1990 DOI: 10.1086/169295 Bibcode: 1990ApJ...362..572M Keywords: Neutron Stars; Steady State; Stellar Interiors; Stellar Mass Accretion; Stellar Models; Temperature Distribution; Cobalt Isotopes; Heat Sources; Helium; Hydrogen; Iron Isotopes; Nickel Isotopes; X Rays; Astrophysics; STARS: ACCRETION; STARS: INTERIORS; STARS: NEUTRON; X-RAYS: BURSTS full text sources ADS |