Distribution Of Low-mass X-ray Binaries Research Articles

Formation and Evolution of Compact-object Binaries in AGN Disks

Abstract The astrophysical origin of gravitational wave (GW) events discovered by LIGO/VIRGO remains an outstanding puzzle. In active galactic nuclei (AGNs), compact-object binaries form, evolve, and interact with a dense star cluster and a gas disk. An important question is whether and how binaries merge in these environments. To address this question, we have performed one-dimensional N-body simulations combined with a semianalytical model that includes the formation, disruption, and evolution of binaries self-consistently. We point out that binaries can form in single–single interactions through the dissipation of kinetic energy in a gaseous medium. This “gas-capture” binary formation channel contributes up to 97% of gas-driven mergers and leads to a high merger rate in AGN disks even without preexisting binaries. We find the merger rate to be in the range of ∼0.02–60 Gpc−3 yr−1. The results are insensitive to the assumptions on the gaseous hardening processes: we find that once they are formed, binaries merge efficiently via binary–single interactions even if these gaseous processes are ignored. We find that the average number of mergers per black hole (BH) is 0.4, and the probability for repeated mergers in 30 Myr is ∼0.21–0.45. High BH masses due to repeated mergers, high eccentricities, and a significant Doppler drift of GWs are promising signatures that distinguish this merger channel from others. Furthermore, we find that gas-capture binaries reproduce the distribution of low-mass X-ray binaries in the Galactic center, including an outer cutoff at ∼1 pc due to the competition between migration and hardening by gas torques.

Displacement of X-ray binaries: constraints on the natal kicks

Context. This work uses the measured luminosity vs. displacement (LX vs. R) distribution of high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) to constrain the dispersion of kick velocity kick, which is an important parameter a ecting the system velocity of a binary, and hence its spatial o set from the point of origin. Aims. The aim is to constrain the natal kicks and discriminate between models by comparing the observed LX vs. R distributions with the theoretical simulations. Methods. Using an up-to-date evolutionary population synthesis technique, the spatial o sets of HMXBs are modeled for a range of theoretical models describing the natal kicks, including di erent choices of the dispersion of kick velocity kick, as well as di erent theoretical treatments for black hole (BH) natal kicks. Results. The study shows that the value of kick for neutron stars (NSs) is constrained to be greater than 100 km s 1 , while kick on the order of several tens of km s 1 may be excluded, though a low or absent natal kick for electron capture supernovae NSs is permitted. In particular, BH natal kicks are found not indispensable to account for the LX vs. R distributions. It is more interesting that full BH natal kicks (i.e., similar to those that NSs may receive) are likely to be ruled out in this study, which is in contrast with the recent finding to explain the observed distribution of low-mass X-ray binaries hosting BHs.

THE TWO-DIMENSIONAL SPATIAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF THE GLOBULAR CLUSTERS AND LOW-MASS X-RAY BINARIES OF NGC 4649

We report significant anisotropies in the projected two-dimensional (2D) spatial distributions of Globular Clusters (GCs) of the giant Virgo elliptical galaxy NGC4649 (M60). Similar features are found in the 2D distribution of low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs), both associated with GCs and in the stellar field. Deviations from azimuthal symmetry suggest an arc-like excess of GCs extending north at 4-15 kpc galactocentric radii in the eastern side of major axis of NGC4649. This feature is more prominent for red GCs, but still persists in the 2D distribution of blue GCs. High and low luminosity GCs also show some segregation along this arc, with high-luminosity GCs preferentially located in the southern end and low-luminosity GCs in the northern section of the arc. GC-LMXBs follow the anisotropy of red-GCs, where most of them reside; however, a significant overdensity of (high-luminosity) field LMXBs is present to the south of the GC arc. These results suggest that NGC4649 has experienced mergers and/or multiple accretions of less massive satellite galaxies during its evolution, of which the GCs in the arc may be the fossil remnant. We speculate that the observed anisotropy in the field LMXB spatial distribution indicates that these X-ray binaries may be the remnants of a star formation event connected with the merger, or maybe be ejected from the parent red GCs, if the bulk motion of these clusters is significantly affected by dynamical friction. We also detect a luminosity enhancement in the X-ray source population of the companion spiral galaxy NGC4647. We suggest that these may be younger high mass X-ray binaries formed as a result of the tidal interaction of this galaxy with NGC4649.

Investigating stellar-mass black hole kicks

We investigate whether stellar-mass black holes have to receive natal kicks in order to explain the observed distribution of low-mass X-ray binaries containing black holes within our Galaxy. Such binaries are the product of binary evolution, where the massive primary has exploded forming a stellar-mass black hole, probably after a common envelope phase where the system contracted down to separations of order 10-30 Rsun. We perform population synthesis calculations of these binaries, applying both kicks due to supernova mass-loss and natal kicks to the newly-formed black hole. We then integrate the trajectories of the binary systems within the Galactic potential. We find that natal kicks are in fact necessary to reach the large distances above the Galactic plane achieved by some binaries. Further, we find that the distribution of natal kicks would seem to be similar to that of neutron stars, rather than one where the kick velocities are reduced by the ratio of black hole to neutron-star mass (i.e. where the kicks have the same momentum). This result is somewhat surprising; in many pictures of stellar-mass black-hole formation, one might have expected black holes to receive kicks having the same momentum (rather than the same speed) as those given to neutron stars.

The Galactic Distribution of Low-Mass X-Ray Binaries

We have analyzed the Galactic distribution of low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) in which the accreting compact object is a neutron star. The rms value of their distances, z, to the Galactic plane equals ~1 kpc. This wide z-distribution cannot be explained by systemic velocities that increased as a result of sudden symmetric mass loss at the formation of the neutron star alone. Kick velocities imparted on the neutron star, following the radio pulsar velocity distribution recently derived by Lyne & Lorimer (1994) can account for the LMXB z-distribution. This distribution is consistent with formation of the neutron stars in LMXBs from direct collapse of a helium star and also from accretion-induced collapse of a white dwarf. The triple-star evolution proposed by Eggleton & Verbunt is not a dominant production mechanism for LMXBs.