Accreting Neutron Stars Research Articles

Gravitational waves from nonradial oscillations of stochastically accreting neutron stars

Abstract Oscillating neutron stars are sources of continuous gravitational waves. We study analytically the excitation of stellar oscillations by the mechanical impact on the stellar surface of ‘clumps’ of stochastically accreted matter. We calculate the waveform and spectrum of the gravitational wave signal emitted by the accretion-driven pulsations. Results are generated for an idealised model of a nonrotating, unmagnetised, one-component star with uniform polytropic index npoly assuming Newtonian gravity and the Cowling approximation. We find that the excited mode amplitudes grow with increasing npoly and mode order n. The gravitational wave signal forms a sequence of amplitude-modulated packets for npoly = 1, lasting ∼10−3s after each impact. The gravitational wave strain increases with increasing npoly, but decreases with increasing n and increasing multipole order l for npoly = 1. In the observing band of current long-baseline interferometers, g-modes emit higher, narrower peaks in the amplitude spectral density than f- and p-modes, with the highest peaks reaching ∼10−26Hz−1/2 for modes with damping time τnl ∼ 108yr. The root-mean-square strain hrms, calculated by summing over modes with 2 ≤ l ≤ 4 and τnl ≤ 108yr, spans the range 10−33 ≤ hrms ≤ 10−32 for 1 ≤ npoly ≤ 2.

Flickering pulsations in bright X-ray pulsars: the evidence of gravitationally lensed and eclipsed accretion column

ABSTRACT It is expected that the extreme mass accretion rate onto strongly magnetized neutron stars results in the appearance of accretion columns above the stellar surface. For a distant observer, rotation of a star results in periodic variations of X-ray flux. Because the mass accretion rate fluctuates around the average value, the pulse profiles are not stable and demonstrate fluctuations as well. In the case of bright X-ray pulsars, however, pulse fluctuations are not solely attributed to variations in the mass accretion rate. They are also influenced by the variable height of the columns, which is dependent on the mass accretion rate. This study delves into the process of pulse profile formation in bright X-ray pulsars, taking into account stochastic fluctuations in the mass accretion rate, the corresponding variations in accretion column geometry, and gravitational bending. Our analysis reveals that potential eclipses of accretion columns by a neutron star during their spin period should manifest specific features in pulse profile variability. Applying a novel pulse profile analysis technique, we successfully detect these features in the bright X-ray transient V 0332+53 at luminosities $\gtrsim 2\times 10^{38}\, {\rm erg\ \rm s^{-1}}$. This detection serves as compelling evidence for the eclipse of an accretion column by a neutron star. Detection of the eclipse places constraints on the relation between neutron star mass, radius, and accretion column height. Specifically, we can establish an upper limit on the accretion column height, which is crucial for refining theoretical models of extreme accretion.

Thermonuclear explosions on neutron stars reveal the speed of their jets.

Relativistic jets are observed from accreting and cataclysmic transients throughout the Universe, and have a profound impact on their surroundings1,2. Despite their importance, their launch mechanism is not known. For accreting neutron stars, the speed of their compact jets can reveal whether the jets are powered by magnetic fields anchored in the accretion flow3 or in the star itself4,5, but so far no such measurements exist. These objects can show bright explosions on their surface due to unstable thermonuclear burning of recently accreted material, called type-I X-ray bursts6, during which the mass-accretion rate increases7-9. Here, we report on bright flares in the jet emission for a few minutes after each X-ray burst, attributed to the increased accretion rate. With these flares, we measure the speed of a neutron star compact jet to be , much slower than those from black holes at similar luminosities. This discovery provides a powerful new tool in which we can determine the role that individual system properties have on the jet speed, revealing the dominant jet launching mechanism.

Geometric and thermodynamic characterization of binary neutron star accretion discs

Geometric and thermodynamic characterization of binary neutron star accretion discs

X-Ray Polarimetry of the Dipping Accreting Neutron Star 4U 1624–49

We present the first X-ray polarimetric study of the dipping accreting neutron star 4U 1624−49 with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer. We report a detection of polarization in the nondip time intervals with a confidence level of 99.99%. We find an average polarization degree (PD) of 3.1% ± 0.7% and a polarization angle of 81° ± 6° east of north in the 2–8 keV band. We report an upper limit on the PD of 22% during the X-ray dips with 95% confidence. The PD increases with energy, reaching from 3.0% ± 0.9% in the 4–6 keV band to 6% ± 2% in the 6–8 keV band. This indicates the polarization likely arises from Comptonization. The high PD observed is unlikely to be produced by Comptonization in the boundary layer or spreading layer alone. It can be produced by the addition of an extended geometrically thin slab corona covering part of the accretion disk, as assumed in previous models of dippers, and/or a reflection component from the accretion disk.

Exploring the nature of ultra-luminous X-ray sources across stellar population ages using detailed binary evolution calculations

Context. Ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are sources observed to have extreme X-ray luminosities exceeding the Eddington limit of a stellar-mass black hole (BH). A fraction of ULXs show X-ray pulsations, which are evidence for accreting neutron stars (NSs). Theoretical studies have suggested that NSs, rather than BHs, dominate the compact objects of intrinsic ULX populations, even though the majority of the observed sample is non-pulsating, implying that X-ray pulses from many NS ULXs are unobservable. Aims. We simulate populations of X-ray binaries covering a range of starburst ages spanning from 5 to 1000 Myr with the aim of comparing the properties of observed ULXs at the different ages. Additionally, we compare two models describing different assumptions for the physical processes governing binary evolution. Methods. We used the new population synthesis code POSYDON to generate multiple populations of ULXs spanning multiple burst ages. We employed a model for geometrically beamed emission from a super-Eddington accretion disk in order to estimate the luminosities of ULXs. Following theoretical predictions for the alignment of the spin axis of an NS with the accretion disk due to mass transfer, we estimated the required mass to be accreted by the NSs in the ULX populations so that the alignment suppresses observable X-ray pulses. Results. While we find that the properties of ULX populations are sensitive to model assumptions, there are certain trends that the populations follow. Generally, young and old stellar populations are dominated by BH and NS accretors, respectively. The donor stars go from being massive H-rich main-sequence stars in young populations (< 100 Myr) to low-mass post-main sequence H-rich stars in older populations (> 100 Myr), with stripped He-rich giant donors dominating the populations at around 100 Myr. In addition, we find that NS ULXs exhibit stronger geometrical beaming than BH ULXs, leading to an underrepresentation of NS accretors in observed populations. Coupled with our finding that X-ray pulses are suppressed in at least 60% of the NS ULXs, we suggest that the observed fraction of ULXs with detectable X-ray pulses is very small, in agreement with observations. Conclusions. We show that geometrical beaming and the mass-accretion phase are critical aspects of understanding ULX observations. Our results suggest that even though most ULXs have accreting NSs, those with observable X-ray pulses would be very few.

Insight-HXMT observations of thermonuclear X-ray bursts in 4U 1636−53

ABSTRACT We conducted an analysis of 45 bursts observed from 4U 1636−53. To investigate the mechanism behind the light-curve profiles and the impact of thermonuclear X-ray bursts on the accretion environment in accreting neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries. This analysis employed both light-curve and time-resolved spectroscopy methodologies, with data collected by the Insight-Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope instrument. We found that 30 bursts exhibited similar light-curve profiles and were predominantly in the hard state, and two photospheric radius expansion (PRE) bursts were in the soft state. The light curves of most bursts did not follow a single exponential decay but displayed a dual-exponential behaviour. The initial exponent had a duration of approximately 6 s. We utilized both the standard method and the ‘fa’ method to fit the burst spectra. The majority of the ‘fa’ values exceeded 1, indicating an enhancement of the persistent emission during the burst. Under the two Comptonization components assumption, we suggest that the scattering of burst photons by the inner corona may mainly contribute to the persistent emission enhancement. We also observed an inverse correlation between the maximum fa and the persistent emission flux in the non-PRE burst. This anticorrelation suggests that when the accretion rate is lower, there is a greater enhancement of persistent emission during the burst peak. The prediction based on Poynting–Robertson drag (P–R drag) aligns with this observed anticorrelation.

NuSTAR and Swift observations of two supergiant fast X-ray transients: AX J1841.0−0536 and SAX J1818.6−1703

ABSTRACT Supergiant fast X-ray transients are wind-fed binaries hosting neutron star accretors, which display a peculiar variability in the X-ray domain. Different models have been proposed to explain this variability and the strength of the compact object magnetic field is generally considered a key parameter to discriminate among possible scenarios. We present here the analysis of two simultaneous observational campaigns carried out with Swift and NuSTAR targeting the supergiant fast X-ray transient sources AX J1841.0−0536 and SAX J1818.6−1703. A detailed spectral analysis is presented for both sources, with the main goal of hunting for cyclotron resonant scattering features that can provide a direct measurement of the neutron star magnetic field intensity. AX J1841.0−0536 was caught during the observational campaign at a relatively low flux. The source broad-band spectrum was featureless and could be well-described by using a combination of a hot blackbody and a power-law component with no measurable cut-off energy. In the case of SAX J1818.6−1703, the broad-band spectrum presented a relatively complex curvature which could be described by an absorbed cut-off power law (including both a cut-off and a folding energy) and featured a prominent edge at ∼7 keV, compatible with being associated to the presence of a ‘screen’ of neutral material partly obscuring the X-ray source. The fit to the broad-band spectrum also required the addition of a moderately broad (∼1.6 keV) feature centred at ∼14 keV. If interpreted as a cyclotron resonant scattering feature, our results would indicate for SAX J1818.6−1703 a relatively low-magnetized neutron star (∼1.2 × 1012 G).

Highly Significant Detection of X-Ray Polarization from the Brightest Accreting Neutron Star Sco X-1

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer measured with high significance the X-ray polarization of the brightest Z-source, Sco X-1, resulting in the nominal 2–8 keV energy band in a polarization degree of 1.0% ± 0.2% and a polarization angle of 8° ± 6° at a 90% confidence level. This observation was strictly simultaneous with observations performed by NICER, NuSTAR, and Insight-HXMT, which allowed for a precise characterization of its broadband spectrum from soft to hard X-rays. The source has been observed mainly in its soft state, with short periods of flaring. We also observed low-frequency quasiperiodic oscillations. From a spectropolarimetric analysis, we associate a polarization to the accretion disk at <3.2% at 90% confidence level, compatible with expectations for an electron scattering dominated optically thick atmosphere at the Sco X-1 inclination of ∼44°; for the higher-energy Comptonized component, we obtain a polarization of 1.3% ± 0.4%, in agreement with expectations for a slab of Thomson optical depth of ∼7 and an electron temperature of ∼3 keV. A polarization rotation with respect to previous observations by OSO-8 and PolarLight, and also with respect to the radio-jet position angle, is observed. This result may indicate a variation of the polarization with the source state that can be related to relativistic precession or a change in the corona geometry with the accretion flow.

Three-dimensional GRMHD Simulations of Neutron Star Jets

Neutron stars and black holes in X-ray binaries are observed to host strong collimated jets in the hard spectral state. Numerical simulations can act as a valuable tool in understanding the mechanisms behind jet formation and its properties. Although there have been significant efforts in understanding black hole jets from general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations in recent years, neutron star jets still remain poorly explored. We present the results from three-dimensional GRMHD simulations of accreting neutron stars with oblique magnetospheres for the very first time. The jets in our simulations are produced due to the anchored magnetic field of the rotating star in analogy with the Blandford–Znajek process. We find that for accreting stars, the star–disk magnetic field interaction plays a significant role, and as a result, the jet power becomes directly proportional to , where Φjet is the open flux in the jet. The jet power decreases with increasing stellar magnetic inclination, and finally, for an orthogonal magnetosphere, it reduces by a factor of ≃2.95 compared to the aligned case. We also find that in the strong propeller regime, with a highly oblique magnetosphere, the disk-induced collimation of the open stellar flux preserves parts of the striped wind, resulting in a striped jet.

Constraints on Neutron Star Structure from the Clocked X-Ray Burster 1RXS J180408.9−342058

Type I X-ray bursts are rapid-brightening transient phenomena on the surfaces of accreting neutron stars (NSs). Some X-ray bursts, called clocked bursters, exhibit regular behavior with similar light-curve profiles in their burst sequences. The periodic nature of clocked bursters has the advantage of constraining X-ray binary parameters and physics inside the NS. In the present study, we compute numerical models, based on different equations of state and NS masses, which are compared with the observations of a recently identified clocked burster, 1RXS J180408.9−342058. We find that the relation between the accretion rate and the recurrence time is highly sensitive to the NS mass and radius. We determine, in particular, that 1RXS J180408.9−342058 appears to possess a mass less than 1.7M ⊙ and favors a stiffer nuclear equation of state (with an NS radius ≳12.7 km). Consequently, the observations of this new clocked burster may provide additional constraints for probing the structure of NSs.

The high energy X-ray probe (HEX-P): a new window into neutron star accretion

Accreting neutron stars (NSs) represent a unique laboratory for probing the physics of accretion in the presence of strong magnetic fields (B ≳ 108 G). Additionally, the matter inside the NS itself exists in an ultra-dense, cold state that cannot be reproduced in Earth-based laboratories. Hence, observational studies of these objects are a way to probe the most extreme physical regimes. Here we present an overview of the field and discuss the most important outstanding problems related to NS accretion. We show how these open questions regarding accreting NSs in both low-mass and high-mass X-ray binary systems can be addressed with the High-Energy X-ray Probe (HEX-P) via simulated data. In particular, with the broad X-ray passband and improved sensitivity afforded by a low X-ray background, HEX-P will be able to 1) distinguish between competing continuum emission models; 2) provide tighter upper limits on NS radii via reflection modeling techniques that are independent and complementary to other existing methods; 3) constrain magnetic field geometry, plasma parameters, and accretion column emission patterns by characterizing fundamental and harmonic cyclotron lines and exploring their behavior with pulse phase; 4) directly measure the surface magnetic field strength of highly magnetized NSs at the lowest accretion luminosities; as well as 5) detect cyclotron line features in extragalactic sources and probe their dependence on luminosity in the super-Eddington regime in order to distinguish between geometrical evolution and accretion-induced decay of the magnetic field. In these ways HEX-P will provide an essential new tool for exploring the physics of NSs, their magnetic fields, and the physics of extreme accretion.

Timing of accreting neutron stars with future X-ray instruments: towards new constraints on dense matter equation of state

Timing of accreting neutron stars with future X-ray instruments: towards new constraints on dense matter equation of state

Pulse profile modelling of thermonuclear burst oscillations – II. Handling variability

ABSTRACT Pulse profile modelling is a relativistic ray-tracing technique that can be used to infer masses, radii, and geometric parameters of neutron stars. In a previous study, we looked at the performance of this technique when applied to thermonuclear burst oscillations from accreting neutron stars. That study showed that ignoring the variability associated with burst oscillation sources resulted in significant biases in the inferred mass and radius, particularly for the high count rates that are nominally required to obtain meaningful constraints. In this follow-on study, we show that the bias can be mitigated by slicing the bursts into shorter segments where variability can be neglected, and jointly fitting the segments. Using this approach, the systematic uncertainties on the mass and radius are brought within the range of the statistical uncertainty. With about 106 source counts, this yields uncertainties of approximately 10 per cent for both the mass and radius. However, this modelling strategy requires substantial computational resources. We also confirm that the posterior distributions of the mass and radius obtained from multiple bursts of the same source can be merged to produce outcomes comparable to that of a single burst with an equivalent total number of counts.

Swift, NuSTAR, and INTEGRAL observations of the symbiotic X-ray binary IGR J16194-2810

ABSTRACT We report on a simultaneous observational campaign with both Swift/XRT and NuSTAR targeting the symbiotic X-ray binary (SyXB) IGR J16194-2810. The main goal of the campaign was to investigate the possible presence of cyclotron scattering absorption features in the broad-band spectrum of the source, and help advance our understanding of the process of neutron star formation via the accretion-induced collapse of a white dwarf. The 1–30 keV spectrum of the source, as measured during our campaign, did not reveal the presence of any statistically significant absorption feature. The spectrum could be well described using a model comprising a thermal black-body hot component, most likely emerging from the surface of the accreting neutron star, and a power law with no measurable cut-off energy (and affected by a modest absorption column density). Compared to previous analyses in the literature, we could rule out the presence of a colder thermal component emerging from an accretion disc, compatible with the idea that IGR J16194-2810 is a wind-fed binary (as most of the SyXBs). Our results were strengthened by exploiting the archival XRT and INTEGRAL data, extending the validity of the spectral model used up to 0.3–40 keV and demonstrating that IGR J16194-2810 is unlikely to undergo significant spectral variability over time in the X-ray domain.

Relativistic X-ray reflection and highly ionized absorption in the spectrum of NS LMXB 1A 1744−361

ABSTRACT We present the results from the spectral and timing analysis of the accreting neutron star (NS) 1A 1744−361 from the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope ARray observation performed in its 2022 outbursts. The unabsorbed bolometric X-ray luminosity during this observation in the energy band 0.1–100 keV is 3.9 × 1037 erg s−1, assuming a distance of 9 kpc. During this observation, the source was in the banana branch of the atoll track. The source spectrum exhibits relativistic disc reflection and clear absorption features when an absorbed blackbody and cut-off power-law model describes the continuum emission. The 3–50 keV source spectrum is well fitted using a model combination consisting of an absorbed single-temperature blackbody and a reflection model along with the addition of a warm absorber component. The inner-disc radius, Rin, obtained from the reflection fit is ∼(1.61–2.86)RISCO = (8.4–14.9)Rg (17.6–31.2 km for a 1.4 M⊙ NS). This measurement allowed us to further constrain the magnetic field strength to B ≲ 0.94 × 109 G. The strong absorption features ∼6.91 keV and ∼7.99 keV imply the presence of highly ionized absorbing material with a column density NH of ∼3 × 1022 cm−2, emanating from the accretion disc in the form of disc wind with an outflow velocity of vout ≃ 0.021c ≃ 6300 km s−1.

Insight-HXMT observations on thermonuclear X-ray bursts from 4U 1608–52 in 2022: The accretion rate dependent anisotropy of burst emission

Thermonuclear X-ray bursts occur on the surface of an accreting neutron star (NS), and their characteristics and interplay with the surrounding circumstance could be a clue to understand the nature of the NS and accretion process. For this purpose, Insight-HXMT has performed high cadence observations on the bright thermonuclear X-ray burster–4U 1608–52 during its outburst in July and August 2022; nine bursts were detected, including seven bursts with the photospheric radius expansion (PRE). Time-resolved spectroscopy of the bright PRE bursts reveals that an enhancement of accretion rate or the Comptonization of the burst emission by the corona could reduce the residuals when fitting their spectra with the conventional model–blackbody. The inferred energy increment rate of the burst photon gained from the corona is up to ∼40%, even though the bursts have different peak fluxes and locate at different accretion rates. Moreover, the flux shortage of the rising PRE is observed in the bursts at a high mass accretion rate, but not for the burst with a faint persistent emission, which has been predicted theoretically but first observed in this work. If the flux shortage is due to the disk obscuration, i.e., the burst emission is anisotropic, the phenomenon above could indicate that the anisotropy of the burst emission is accretion rate dependent, which could also be evidence of the truncated disk in the low/hard state.

Mass-loss and composition of wind ejecta in type I X-ray bursts

Context. X-Ray bursts (XRBs) are powerful thermonuclear events on the surface of accreting neutron stars (NSs) where nucleosynthesis of intermediate-mass elements occurs. The high surface gravity of an NS prevents the ejection of material by the XRB thermonuclear explosion. However, the predicted and observed XRB luminosities sometimes exceed Eddington’s value, and some of the material may escape by means of stellar wind. Aims. This work aims to determine the mass-loss and chemical composition of the material ejected through radiation-driven winds and its significance for Galactic abundances. It also reports on the evolution of observational quantities during the wind phase, which can help constrain the mass-radius relation in NSs. Methods. A non-relativistic radiative wind model was implemented, with modern opacity tables and treatment of the critical point, and linked through a new technique to a series of XRB hydrodynamic simulations that include over 300 isotopes. This allowed us to construct a quasi-stationary time evolution of the wind during the XRB. Results. In the models we studied, the total mass ejected by the wind was about 6 × 1019 g; the average ejected mass per burst represented 2.6% of the accreted mass between bursts, with 0.1% of the envelope mass ejected per burst; and approximately 90% of the ejecta was composed by 60Ni, 64Zn, 68Ge, and 58Ni. The ejected material also contained a small fraction (10−4 − 10−5) of some light p-nuclei, but not enough to account for their Galactic abundances. Additionally, the observable magnitudes during the wind phase showed remarkable correlations, partly due to the fact that photospheric luminosity stays close to the Eddington limit. Some of these correlations involve wind parameters, such as energy and mass outflows, that are determined by the conditions at the base of the wind envelope. Conclusions. The simulations resulted in the first realistic quantification of mass-loss for each isotope synthesized in the XRB. The photospheric correlations we found could be used to link observable magnitudes to the physics of the innermost parts of the envelope, close to its interface with the NS crust. This is a promising result regarding the issue of NS radius determination.

Magnetically confined mountains on accreting neutron stars in general relativity

ABSTRACT The general relativistic formulation of the problem of magnetically confined mountains on neutron stars is presented, and the resulting equations are solved numerically, generalizing previous Newtonian calculations. The hydromagnetic structure of the accreted matter and the subsequent magnetic burial of the star’s magnetic dipole moment are computed. Overall, it is observed that relativistic corrections reduce the hydromagnetic deformation associated with the mountain. The magnetic field lines are curved more gently than in previous calculations, and the screening of the dipole moment is reduced. Quantitatively, it is found that the dimensionless dipole moment (md) depends on the accreted mass (Ma) as md = −3.2 × 103Ma/M⊙ + 1.0, implying approximately three times less screening compared to the Newtonian theory. Additionally, the characteristic scale height of the mountain, governing the gradients of quantities like pressure, density, and magnetic field strength, reduces by approximately 40 per cent for an isothermal equation of state.

Impact of neutron star spin on Poynting–Robertson drag during a type I X-ray burst

ABSTRACT External irradiation of a neutron star (NS) accretion disc induces Poynting–Robertson (PR) drag, removing angular momentum and increasing the mass accretion rate. Recent simulations show PR drag significantly enhancing the mass accretion rate during Type I X-ray bursts, which could explain X-ray spectral features such as an increase in the persistent emission and a soft excess. However, prograde spin of the NS is expected to weaken PR drag, challenging its importance during bursts. Here, we study the effect of spin on PR drag during X-ray bursts. We run four simulations, with two assuming a non-spinning NS and two using a spin parameter of a* = 0.2, corresponding to a rotation frequency of 500 Hz. For each scenario, we simulate the disc evolution subject to an X-ray burst and compare it to the evolution found with no burst. PR drag drains the inner disc region during a burst, moving the inner disc radius outwards by ≈1.6 km in the a* = 0 and by ≈2.2 km in the a* = 0.2 simulation. The burst enhances the mass accretion rate across the innermost stable circular orbit ≈7.9 times when the NS is not spinning and ≈11.2 times when it is spinning. The explanation for this seemingly contradictory result is that the disc is closer to the NS when a* = 0.2, and the resulting stronger irradiating flux offsets the weakening effect of spin on the PR drag. Hence, PR drag remains a viable explanation for the increased persistent emission and soft excess observed during X-ray bursts in spinning NS systems.