Thorne-Zytkow Objects Research Articles

Demographics of Triple Systems in Dense Star Clusters

Abstract Depending on the stellar type, more than 15% of stars in the field have at least two stellar companions. Hierarchical triple systems can be assembled dynamically in dense star clusters, as a result of few-body encounters among stars and/or compact remnants in the cluster core. In this paper, we present the demographics of stellar and compact-object triples formed via binary–binary encounters in the CMC Cluster Catalog, a suite of cluster simulations with present-day properties representative of the globular clusters (GCs) observed in the Milky Way. We show how the initial properties of the host cluster set the typical orbital parameters and formation times of the formed triples. We find that a cluster typically assembles hundreds of triples with at least one black hole (BH) in the inner binary, while only clusters with sufficiently small virial radii are efficient in producing triples with no BHs. We show that a typical GC is expected to host tens of triples with at least one luminous component at present. We discuss how the Lidov–Kozai mechanism can drive the inner binary of these dynamically formed triples to high eccentricities, whenever it takes place before the triple is dynamically reprocessed by encountering another cluster member. Some of these systems can reach sufficiently large eccentricities to form a variety of transients and merger products, such as blue stragglers, X-ray binaries, Type Ia supernovae, Thorne–Zytkow objects, and gravitational wave sources.

Head-on collisions of binary white dwarf-neutron stars: Simulations in full general relativity

We simulate head-on collisions from rest at large separation of binary white dwarf-neutron stars (WDNSs) in full general relativity. Our study serves as a prelude to our analysis of the circular binary WDNS problem. We focus on compact binaries whose total mass exceeds the maximum mass that a cold-degenerate star can support, and our goal is to determine the fate of such systems. A fully general relativistic hydrodynamic computation of a realistic WDNS head-on collision is prohibitive due to the large range of dynamical time scales and length scales involved. For this reason, we construct an equation of state (EOS) which captures the main physical features of neutron stars (NSs) while, at the same time, scales down the size of white dwarfs (WDs). We call these scaled-down WD models ``pseudo-WDs (pWDs).'' Using pWDs, we can study these systems via a sequence of simulations where the size of the pWD gradually increases toward the realistic case. We perform two sets of simulations; One set studies the effects of the NS mass on the final outcome, when the pWD is kept fixed. The other set studies the effect of the pWD compaction on the final outcome, when the pWD mass and the NS are kept fixed. All simulations show that after the collision, 14%--18% of the initial total rest mass escapes to infinity. All remnant masses still exceed the maximum rest mass that our cold EOS can support ($1.92{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$), but no case leads to prompt collapse to a black hole. This outcome arises because the final configurations are hot. All cases settle into spherical, quasiequilibrium configurations consisting of a cold NS core surrounded by a hot mantle, resembling Thorne-Zytkow objects. Extrapolating our results to realistic WD compactions, we predict that the likely outcome of a head-on collision of a realistic, massive WDNS system will be the formation of a quasiequilibrium Thorne-Zytkow-like object.

The thermal evolution of Thorne-Zytkow objects

The evolution of stars with mass 5M( with an initially cool neutron core (Thorne-Zytkow objects) is computed numerically, taking into account the heating of the neutron star by flows of heat released during the accretion of a surrounding envelope. The temperature of the neutron core does not rise to values at which the sys- tem could become unstable to rapid increases in the neutrino luminosity. In other words, the heating of the neutron core does not lead to a rapid collapse of the initial configuration. © 2001 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".

Common Envelope Evolution of Massive Binary Stars

▪ Abstract The common envelope phase of binary star evolution plays an essential role in the formation of short period systems containing a compact object. In this process, significant mass and angular momentum are lost, transforming a wide progenitor system into a close remnant binary. The pathways leading to this phase and the outcomes are described. Emphasis is placed on the conditions that are required for survival of the binary according to the results of three-dimensional hydrodynamics calculations. The evolution of high-mass systems containing neutron stars is discussed, including double neutron stars, binary pulsars, Thorne-Zytkow objects, and high- and low-mass X-ray binaries.

A red giant with a strange star as its core. Principal similarities to and differences from Thorne-Zytkow objects

A model red giant with a mass of 5 M⊙ a luminosity of 41,740 L⊙, and a radius of 960 R⊙ and with a strange quark star as its core is constructed, and it is compared with a Thorne-Zytkow object having similar integrated parameters. The difference in internal structure is manifested right at the dense core: matter above the core is held off only by γ rays from the strange star, and convection is maintained down to the strange star. The lifetime of a red giant containing a strange star turns out to be almost 500 times shorter than that of a Thorne-Zytkow object — on the order of 105 years.

Deep infrared and optical studies of the fields of three proposed TŻO remnants

Deep infrared and optical images are presented of three proposed remnants of Thorne–Z.ytkow objects (TZ.Os). In particular, the infrared data go several infrared magnitudes deeper than previous observations, and in at least one case reveal the existence of weak objects within the error circles. It is argued, however, that none of the objects is likely to be the binary companion to the X-ray source in that region. These data present severe limits on any possible star or residual envelope at the distances of the respective X-ray objects.

The Dynamics and Outcomes of Rapid Infall onto Neutron Stars

We present an extensive study of accretion onto neutron stars in which the velocity of the neutron star and structure of the surrounding medium is such that the Bondi-Hoyle accretion exceeds .001 Msun/y. For most cases, hypercritical accretion due to rapid neutrino cooling allows the neutron star to accrete above the Bondi-Hoyle rate as previously pointed out by Chevalier. However, for a subset of simulations which corresponds to evolutionarily common events, convection driven by neutrino heating can lead to explosions by a mechanism similar to that found in core-collapse supernovae. Armed with the results from our calculations, we are in a position to predict the fate of a range of rapid-infall neutron star accretors present in certain low-mass X-ray binaries, common envelope systems, supernova fallbacks and Thorne-Zytkow objects (TZOs). A majority of the common envelope systems that we considered led to explosions expelling the envelope, halting the neutron star's inward spiral, and allowing the formation of close binary systems. Smothered neutron stars produced in collisions also lead to explosions, preventing them from forming millisecond pulsars. For supernovae in which the fallback of material towards the neutron star is large, we find that a black hole is formed within a few seconds. Finally, we argue that the current set of TZO formation scenarios is inadequate and leads instead to hypercritical accretion and black hole formation. Moreover, it appears that many of the current TZ models have structures ill-suited for modeling by mixing length convection. This has prompted us to develop a simple test to determine the viability of this approximation for a variety of convective systems.

Scenarios for the formation of binary and millisecond pulsars – A critical assessment

The evolution of high-and low-mass X-ray binaries (HMXB and LMXB) into different types of binary radio pulsars, the ‘high-mass binary pulsars’(HMBP) and ‘low-mass binary pulsars’ (LMBP) is discussed. The HMXB evolve either into Thorne-Zytkow objects or into short-period binaries consisting of a helium star plus a neutron star (or a black hole), resembling Cygnus X-3. The latter systems evolve (with or without a second common-envelope phase) into close binary pulsars, in which the companion of the pulsar may be a massive white dwarf, a neutron star or a black hole ( some final systems may also consist of two black holes). A considerable fraction of the systems may also be disrupted in the second supernova explosion. We discuss the possible reasons why the observed numbers of double neutron stars and of systems like Cyg X-3 are several orders of magnitude lower than theoretically predicted. It is argued that the observed systems form the tip of an iceberg of much larger populations of unobserved systems, some of which may become observable in the future. As to the LMBP, we consider in some detail the origins of systems with orbital periods in the range 1–20 days. We show that to explain their existence, losses of orbital angular momentum (e.g., by magnetic braking) and in a number of cases: also of mass, have to be taken into account. The masses of the low-mass white dwarf companions in these systems can be predicted accurately. We notice a clear correlation between spin period and orbital period for these systems, as well as a clear correlation between pulsar magnetic field strength and orbital period. These relations strongly suggest that increased amounts of mass accreted by the neutron stars lead to increased decay of their magnetic fields: we suggest a simple way to understand the observed value of the ‘bottom’ field strengths of a few times 108 G. Furthermore, we find that the LMBP-systems in which the pulsar has a strong magnetic field (> 1011 G) have an about two orders of magnitude larger birth rate (i.e., about 4 × 10-4 yr-1 in the Galaxy) than the systems with millisecond pulsars (which have B < 109 G). Using the observational fact that neutron stars receive a velocity kick of ∼450 km/s at birth, we find that some 90% of the potential progenitor systems of the strong-field LMBP must have been disrupted in the Supernovae in which their neutron stars were formed. Hence, the formation rate of the progenitors of the strong-field LMBP is of the same order as the galactic supernova rate (4 × 10-3 yr-1). This implies that a large fraction of all Supernovae take place in binaries with a close low-mass (< 2.3 M⊙) companion.

High-mass X-ray binary populations. 1: Galactic modeling

Modern stellar evolutionary tracks are used to calculate the evolution of a very large number of massive binary star systems (M<SUB>tot</SUB> greater than or = 15 solar mass) which cover a wide range of total masses, mass ratios, and starting separations. Each binary is evolved accounting for mass and angular momentum loss through the supernova of the primary to the X-ray binary phase. Using the observed rate of star formation in our Galaxy and the properties of massive binaries, we calculate the expected high-mass X-ray binary (HMXRB) population in the Galaxy. We test various massive binary evolutionary scenarios by comparing the resulting HMXRB predictions with the X-ray observations. A major goal of this study is the determination of the fraction of matter lost from the system during the Roche lobe overflow phase. Curiously, we find that the total numbers of observable HMXRBs are nearly independent of this assumed mass-loss fraction, with any of the values tested here giving acceptable agreement between predicted and observed numbers. However, comparison of the period distribution of our HMXRB models with the observed period distribution does reveal a distinction among the various models. As a result of this comparison, we conclude that approximately 70% of the overflow matter is lost from a massive binary system during mass transfer in the Roche lobe overflow phase. We compare models constructed assuming that all X-ray emission is due to accretion onto the compact object from the donor star's wind with models that incorporate a simplified disk accretion scheme. By comparing the results of these models with observations, we conclude that the formation of disks in HMXRBs must be relatively common. We also calculate the rate of formation of double degenerate binaries, high velocity detached compact objects, and Thorne-Zytkow objects.

A new way to make Thorne-Zytkow objects

We have found a new way to make Thorne-Zytkow objects, which are massive stars with degenerate neutron cores. The asymmetric kick given to the neutron star formed when the primary of a massive tight binary system explodes as a supernova sometimes has the appropriate direction and amplitude to place the newly formed neutron star into a bound orbit with a pericenter distance smaller than the radius of the secondary. Consequently, the neutron star becomes embedded in the secondary. Thorne-Zytkow objects are expected to look like extreme M-type supergiants, assuming that they can avoid a runaway neutrino instability. Accretion onto the embedded neutron star will produce either an isolated, spun-up neutron star (possibly a short-period pulsar) or a black hole. Whether neutron star or black hole remnants predominate depends on the lifetime of Thorne-Zytkow objects, the accretion rates involved, and the maximum neutron star mass, none of which are definitively understood.

The structure and evolution of Thorne-Zytkow objects

We construct models of spherically symmetric stars in which a central neutron star core is accreting material from an envelope (Thorne-Zytkow objects or TZOs). Core masses are allowed to grow by accretion from ∼0.5 to 2.0 M ⊙ and envelope masses range from ∼0 to 30 M ⊙ . We find models populating the entire range of both parameters, and a limited range of parameter space in which two distinct types of model can coexist, one where gravitational energy and one where nuclear energy is the dominant source of energy