Can the known millisecond pulsars help in the detection of intermediate-mass black holes at the centers of globular clusters?

We consider the possibility of detecting intermediate-mass (10³–10⁴ M _⊙) black holes, whose existence at the centers of globular clusters is expected from optical and infrared observations, using precise pulse arrival timing for the millisecond pulsars in globular clusters known to date. For some of these pulsars closest to the cluster centers, we have calculated the expected delay times of pulses as they pass in the gravitational field of the central black hole. The detection of such a time delay by currently available instruments for the known pulsars is shown to be impossible at a black hole mass of 10³ M _⊙ and very problematic at a black hole mass of 10⁴ M _⊙. In addition, the signal delay will have a negligible effect on the pulsar periods and their first derivatives compared to the current accuracy of their measurements.     

Accretion, ablation and propeller evolution in close millisecond pulsar binary systems

A model for the formation and evolution of binary millisecond radio pulsars in systems with low mass companions (<0.1 M_⊙) is investigated using a binary population synthesis technique. Taking into account the non conservative evolution of the system due to mass loss from an accretion disk as a result of propeller action and from the companion via ablation by the pulsar, the transition from the accretion powered to rotation powered phase is investigated. It is shown that the operation of the propeller and ablation mechanisms can be responsible for the formation and evolution of black widow millisecond pulsar systems from the low mass X-ray binary phase at an orbital period of ～0.1 day. For a range of population synthesis input parameters, the results reveal that a population of black widow millisecond pulsars characterized by orbital periods as long as ～0.4 days and companion masses as low as ～0.005 M_⊙ can be produced. The orbital periods and minimum companion mass of this radio millisecond pulsar population critically depend on the thermal bloating of the semi-degenerate hydrogen mass losing component, with longer orbital periods for a greater degree of bloating. Provided that the radius of the companion is increased by about a factor of 2 relative to a fully degenerate, zero temperature configuration, an approximate agreement between observed long orbital periods and theoretical modeling of hydrogen rich donors can be achieved. We find no discrepancy between the estimated birth rates for LMXBs and black widow systems, which on average are ${\sim}1.3\times10^{-5}~{\rm yr}^{-1}$ and $1.3\times10^{-7}~{\rm yr}^{-1}$ respectively.     

Stellar dynamics in young clusters: the formation of massive runaways and very massive runaway mergers

In the present paper we combine an N-body code that simulates the dynamics of young dense stellar systems with a massive star evolution handler that accounts in a realistic way for the effects of stellar wind mass loss. We discuss two topics.

1. The formation and the evolution of very massive stars (with masses >120 M_⊙) is followed in detail. These very massive stars are formed in the cluster core as a consequence of the successive (physical) collisions of the 10–20 most massive stars in the cluster (this process is known as ‘runaway merging’). The further evolution is governed by stellar wind mass loss during core hydrogen and core helium burning (the WR phase of very massive stars). Our simulations reveal that, as a consequence of runaway merging in clusters with solar and supersolar values, massive black holes can be formed, but with a maximum mass ≈70 M_⊙. In low-metallicity clusters, however, it cannot be excluded that the runaway-merging process is responsible for pair-instability supernovae or for the formation of intermediate-mass black holes with a mass of several 100 M_⊙.
2. Massive runaways can be formed via the supernova explosion of one of the components in a binary system (the Blaauw scenario), or via dynamical interaction of a single star and a binary or between two binaries in a star cluster. We explore the possibility that the most massive runaways (e.g. ζ Pup, λ Cep, BD+43°3654) are the product of the collision and merger of two or three massive stars.

     

Formation of Double Neutron Stars,Millisecond Pulsars and Double Black Holes

The 1982 model for the formation of Hulse–Taylor binary radio pulsar PSR B1913+16 is described, which since has become the ‘standard model’ for the formation of the double neutron stars, confirmed by the 2003 discovery of the double pulsar system PSR J0737-3039AB. A brief overview is given of the present status of our knowledge of the double neutron stars, of which 15 systems are presently known. The binary-recycling model for the formation of millisecond pulsars is described, as put forward independently by Alpar et al. (1982), Radhakrishnan & Srinivasan (1982) and Fabian et al. (1983). This now is the ‘standard model’ for the formation of these objects, confirmed by the discovery in 1998 of the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars. It is noticed that the formation process of close double black holes has analogies to that of close double neutron stars, extended to binaries with larger initial component masses, although there are also considerable differences in the physics of the binary evolution at these larger masses.     

Stellar adiabatic mass loss model and applications

Roche-lobe overflow and common envelope evolution are very important in binary evolution, which is believed to be the main evolutionary channel to hot subdwarf stars. The details of these processes are difficult to model, but adiabatic expansion provides an excellent approximation to the structure of a donor star undergoing dynamical time scale mass transfer. We can use this model to study the responses of stars of various masses and evolutionary stages as potential donor stars, with the urgent goal of obtaining more accurate stability criteria for dynamical mass transfer in binary population synthesis studies. As examples, we describe here several models with the initial masses equal to 1 M _⊙ and 10 M _⊙, and identify potential limitations to the use of our results for giant-branch stars.     

Where do the progenitors of millisecond pulsars come from?

Observations of a large population of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) show a wide divergence in the orbital periods (from approximately hours to a few months). In the standard view, low‐mass X‐ray binaries (LMXBs) are considered as progenitors for some MSPs during the recycling process. We present a systematic study that combines different types of compact objects in binaries such as cataclysmic variables (CVs), LMXBs, and MSPs. We plot them together in the so called Corbet diagram. Larger and different samples are needed to better constrain the result as a function of the environment and formations. A scale diagram showing the distribution of MSPs for different orbital periods and the aspects for their progenitors relying on accretion induced collapse (AIC) of white dwarfs in binaries. Thus massive CVs (M ≥ 1.1 M_⊙) can play a vital role on binary evolution, as well as of the physical processes involved in the formation and evolution of neutron stars and their magnetic fields, and could turn into binary MSPs with different scales of orbital periods; this effect can be explained by the AIC process. This scenario also suggests that some fraction of isolated MSPs in the Galactic disk could be formed through the same channel, forming the contribution of some CVs to the single‐degenerate progenitors of Type Ia supernova. Furthermore, we have refined the statistical distribution and evolution by using updated data. This implies that the significant studies of compact objects in binary systems can benefit from the Corbet diagram.Observations of a large population of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) show a wide divergence in the orbital periods (from approximately hours to a few months). In the standard view, low‐mass X‐ray binaries (LMXBs) are considered as progenitors for some MSPs during the recycling process. We present a systematic study that combines different types of compact objects in binaries such as cataclysmic variables (CVs), LMXBs, and MSPs. We plot them together in the so called Corbet diagram. Larger and different samples are needed to better constrain the result as a function of the environment and formations. A scale diagram showing the distribution of MSPs for different orbital periods and the aspects for their progenitors re     

Absolute parameters of eclipsing binaries in Southern Hemisphere sky – II: QY Tel

This paper presents the first analysis of spectroscopic and photometric observations of the neglected southern eclipsing binary star, QY Tel. Spectroscopic observations were carried out at the South African Astronomical Observatory in 2013. New radial velocity curves from this study and V light curves from the All Sky Automated Survey were solved simultaneously using modern light and radial velocity curve synthesis methods. The final model describes QY Tel as a detached binary star where both component stars fill at least half of their Roche limiting lobes. The masses and radii were found to be 1.32 (± 0.06) M_⊙, 1.74 (± 0.15) R_⊙ and 1.44 (± 0.09) M_⊙, 2.70 (± 0.16) R_⊙ for the primary and secondary components of the system, respectively. The distance to QY Tel was calculated as 365 (± 40) pc, taking into account interstellar extinction. The evolution case of QY Tel is also examined. Both components of the system are evolved main-sequence stars with an age of approximately 3.2  Gy, when compared to Geneva theoretical evolution models.     

The masses of sdB and sdO stars

Mass is a fundamental parameter, but the masses are not well known for most hot subdwarfs. We propose a method of determining the masses of hot subdwarfs. Using this method, we studied the masses of hot subdwarfs from the ESO supernova Ia progenitor survey and the Hamburg quasar survey. The study shows that most of the subdwarf B stars have masses between 0.42 and 0.54 M _⊙, whilst most sdO stars are in the range 0.40～0.55 M _⊙. Comparing our study to the theoretical mass distributions of Han et al. (Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 341:669, 2003), we found that sdO stars with mass less than ～0.5 M _⊙ may evolve from sdB stars, whilst most high-mass (>0.5 M _⊙) sdO stars result from mergers directly.     

Properties of Wolf-Rayet stars in eclipsing binary systems

The results of investigations of a number of eclipsing Wolf-Rayet binaries are presented. The ‘core’ radiuses, the ‘core’ temperatures and masses of WR stars in the eclipsing WR+OB binary systems V 444 Cyg, CX Cep, CQ Cep, and CV Ser are obtained (see Table I). The results obtained from the light curves analysis of the V 444 Cyg in the range λλ2460 Å-3.5μ give strong evidence for the Beals (1944) model of WR phenomenon. The chromospheric-coronal effects in the WN5 extended atmosphere are not observed up to a distance ofr?20R _⊙. In the Hertzsprung—Russell diagram all the WR stars lie on the left side from the main sequence between the main sequence and the sequence of uniform helium stars (see Figure 9). Their locations are close to those of the helium remnants formed as a result of mass exchange in massive close binary systems. The period variations in the systems V 444 Cyg and CQ Cep have been discovered and a reliable value of the mass loss rateM=10^?5 M _⊙yr^?1 is obtained, for the two WR stars. The results of the photometric and spectroscopic investigations of the WR stars with low mass companions (post X-ray binary stage?) are presented too (see Table II). The masses of the companions are (1–2)M _⊙, their optical luminosity is ～10³⁶, erg s^?1 which implies that these companions cannot be the normal stars. It is possible that these companions are neutron stars accreting from the stellar wind of the WR stars. Low values of the X-ray luminosities of such WR stars with low mass companions imply that the accretion of matter in such systems is distinct from the accretion process in classical X-ray binary systems. It is noted also that the parameters of low massive companions coupled with WR stars are close to those of helium stars.     

Evolution of massive close binaries

The further evolution of a massive X-ray binary consisting of a compact object and an OB supergiant is outlined. The supergiant exceeds its critical Roche lobe and a second stage of mass transfer starts. The remnant of the mass losing star — a pure helium star — develops a collapsing iron core and finally undergoes a supernova explosion. If the compact companion is a black hole the system remains bound; if the compact companion is a neutron star the system is disrupted unless an extra kick allowing an asymmetric explosion is given. Computations were performed for the massive binary 22.5M _⊙+2M _⊙. The possible final evolutionary products are: (1) a black hole and a compact object, in a binary system, (2) two run-away pulsars, (3) a binary pulsar. As final parameters for the described system the eccentricity and period for the recently discovered binary pulsar 1913+16 may be found. An orbital inclination ofi=40° may be derived. The probability for the generation of binary pulsars is very low; in most cases the system is disrupted during the supernova explosion.     

Black hole at the center of the globular cluster M15: Estimation of the mass and specific angular momentum

Using the technique of determining the sum of the masses of double stars, we have estimated the mass of the central object in the globular cluster M15. The radial velocities of stars at distances up to 1″ from the cluster center have been used. The parameters of circular orbits and the space velocities of 11 selected field stars relative to the cluster center have been determined from the calculated velocity dispersions with respect to the mean radial velocity. Based on the mean space velocity V, 14 km s^?1, and using the energy integral, we have estimated the mass of the central object to be within the range (1?9) × 10³ M _⊙. We have estimated the kinetic power of the outflow of matter from the region surrounding the black hole in M15 and the specific angular momentum of the black hole.     

Evolution and Period Change in RR Lyr Variables of the Globular Cluster M 3

The grid of evolutionary tracks of population II stars with initial masses 0.81 M_⊙ ≤ M_ZAMS ≤ 0.85 M_⊙ and chemical composition of the globular cluster M3 is computed. Selected models of horizontal branch stars were used as initial conditions for solution of the equations of radiation hydrodynamics and time–dependent convection describing radial stellar oscillations. The boundaries of the instability strip on the Herztsprung–Russel diagram were determined using ≈100 hydrodynamic models of RR Lyr pulsating variables. For each evolutionary track crossing the instability strip the pulsation period was determined as a function of evolutinary time. The rate of period change of most variables is shown to range within ?0.02 ≤ \(\dot{\Pi}\) ≤ 0.05 day/10⁶ yr. Theoretical estimate of the mean period change rate obtained by the population synthesis method is 〈\(\dot{\Pi}\)〉 = 6.0 × 10^?3 day/10⁶ yr and agrees well with observations of RR Lyr variables of the globular cluster M3.     

Neutron star retention and millisecond pulsar production in globular clusters

We investigate the conditions by which neutron star retention in globular clusters is favoured. We find that neutron stars formed in massive binaries are far more likely to be retained. Such binaries are likely to then evolve into contact before encountering other stars, possibly producing a single neutron star after a common envelope phase. A large fraction of the single neutron stars in globular clusters are then likely to exchange into binaries containing moderate-mass main-sequence stars, replacing the lower-mass components of the original systems. These binaries will become intermediate-mass X-ray binaries (IMXBs), once the moderate-mass star evolves off the main sequence, as mass is transferred on to the neutron star, possibly spinning it up in the process. Such systems may be responsible for the population of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) that has been observed in globular clusters. Additionally, the period of mass-transfer (and thus X-ray visibility) in the vast majority of such systems will have occurred 5–10 Gyr ago, thus explaining the observed relative paucity of X-ray binaries today, given the MSP population.     

Composite spectra: XVII. 12 Comae,a member of the Coma open cluster

The components of binary stars offer the potential to examine the predictions of stellar‐evolution theory with particularly tight constraints. Those constraints are further tightened when the binary belongs to a cluster whose properties have been well determined independently. 12 Comae presents both advantages, belonging as it does to the Coma Cluster, Melotte 111. The orbit of 12 Comae has an eccentricity of nearly 0.6 and a period of 13 months. By a process of subtraction we separate the spectra of the component stars, derive a precise double‐lined orbit solution, and by modelling the photometry we extract the individual stellar photometric and physical properties, ages and rotation. By fitting theoretical evolutionary tracks to the positions of the stars in the H‐R diagram we confirm their individual masses, and derive a ZAMS of ∼0.65 Gyr, which accords well with measurements published for the cluster itself. We show that the primary of 12 Comae is an evolving giant of spectral type ∼G7 and mass 2.6 M_⊙, while its secondary (whose spectrum could be isolated particularly cleanly) is an A3 dwarf which has a mass of 2.05 M_⊙ and has commenced its evolution away from the main sequence. There is evidence that both stars are slightly metal‐weak (–0.25 < [Fe/H] < 0.0), well in keeping with analyses of other members of this cluster (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Very massive close binaries and the puzzling temporal evolution of 14N in the Solar Neighbourhood

Low metallicity very massive stars with an initial mass between 140M_⊙ and 260M_⊙ can be subdivided into two groups: those between 140M_⊙ and 200M_⊙ which produce a relatively small amount of Fe, and those with a mass between 200M_⊙ and 260M_⊙ where the Fe-yield ejected during the supernova explosion is enormous. We first demonstrate that the inclusion of the second group into a chemical evolutionary model for the Solar Neighbourhood predicts an early temporal evolution of Fe, which is at variance with observations whereas it cannot be excluded that the first group could have been present. We then show that a low metallicity binary with very massive components (with a mass corresponding to the first group) can be an efficient site of primary ¹⁴N production through the explosion of a binary component that has been polluted by the pair instability supernova ejecta of its companion. When we implement these massive binary ¹⁴N yields in a chemical evolution model, we conclude that very massive close binaries may be important sites of ¹⁴N enrichment during the early evolution of the Galaxy.     

Hydrodynamical models of type II supernovae

A series of hydrodynamical models of type-II supernova outbursts (SNII) has been calculated. Approximate relations connecting the total outburst energy ε, the mass of envelope ejectedM, the presupernova radiusR, and the amount of ionizing quanta radiated by the supernovaeN _H with such values as the duration of the light curve plateau Δt, and absolute magnitude in the wavelength bandV and photospheric velocityU _PH observed near the middle of the plateau have been established. Advantage has been taken of the relations to obtain a preliminary evaluation for the characteristics of the average SN II: ε=7×10⁵⁰ erg,M=6M _⊙,R=500R _⊙,N _H=2×10⁵⁸. The SNIIs with plateau-like light curves seem to be accounted for by thermonuclear explosions of degenerate cores of red giant stars and result in a total disruption of the star without any stellar remnant. To the contrary, SNIIs with linear light curves have substantially different properties (in particular, they throw considerably less massive envelopes off). These SNII must signify the birth of collapsed objects—neutron stars (pulsars) or black holes.     

Dynamics of binary compact massive objects in galactic nuclei during interactions with globular clusters

The migration of binary systems of compact massive objects in galactic nuclei owing to encounters with globular clusters is studied. A binary moves in the field of a galactic bulge with a fixed potential. An empirical relationship between the masses of the binary and bulge of the form M _b = 1000(M ₁+M ₂) is used, where M ₁ and M ₂ are the masses of the components of the binary. The amplitude of the drift of the binary components is found as a function of the initial binary orbit parameters, the size of the bulge, and the initial velocity and mass of the globular cluster. It is shown that the amplitude of the drift depends to a greater extent on the parameters of the cluster, while the magnitude of the perturbation in the binary orbit depends weakly on the bulge size and the eccentricity and major semiaxis of the binary orbit. The amplitude of the drift of the center of mass also decreases on the average as the difference between the masses of the components becomes larger.     

Binary galaxies in the local supercluster and its neighborhood

We report a catalog of 509 pairs identified among 10403 nearby galaxies with line-of-sight velocities V _LG < 3500 km/s. We selected binary systems in accordance with two criteria (“bounding” and “temporal”), which require the physical pair of galaxies to have negative total energy and its components to be located inside the zero-velocity surface. We assume that individual galaxy masses are proportional to their total K-band luminosities, M = L _K × 6M _⊙/L _⊙. The catalog gives the magnitudes and morphological types of galaxies and also the projected (orbital) masses and pair isolation indices. The component line-of-sight velocity differences and projected distances of the binary systems considered have power-law distributions with the median values of 35 km/s and 123 kpc, respectively. The median mass-to-K-band luminosity ratio is equal to 11M _⊙/L _⊙, and its uncertainty is mostly due to the errors of measured velocities. Our sample of binary systems has a typical density contrast of δρ/ρ _c ～ 500 and a median crossing time of about 3.5 Gyr. We point out the substantial fraction of binary systems consisting of late-type dwarf galaxies, where the luminosities of both components are lower than that of the Small Magellanic Cloud. The median projected distance for 41 such pairs is only 30 kpc, and the median difference of their line-ofsight velocities is equal to 14 km/s which is smaller than the typical error for radial-velocity (30 km/s). This specific population of gas-rich dwarf binary galaxies such as I Zw 18 may be at the stage immediately before merging of its components. Such objects, which are usually lost in flux-limited (and not distance-limited) samples deserve a thorough study in the HI radio line with high spatial and velocity resolution.     

Evolution of massive binary stars in the LMC and its implications for radio pulsar population

The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram of the Large Magellanic Cloud compiled recently by Fitzpatrick & Garmany (1990) shows that there are a number of supergiant stars immediately redward of the main sequence although theoretical models of massive stars with normal hydrogen abundance predict that the region 4.5 ≤ logT _eff ≤ 4.3 should be un-populated (“gap”). Supergiants having surface enrichment of helium acquired for example from a previous phase of accretion from a binary companion, however, evolve in a way so that the evolved models and observed data are consistent — an observation first made by Tuchman & Wheeler (1990). We compare the available optical data on OB supergiants with computed evolutionary tracks of massive stars of metallicity relevant to the LMC with and without helium-enriched envelopes and conclude that a large fraction (≈ 60 per cent) of supergiant stars may occur in binaries. As these less evolved binaries will later evolve into massive X-ray binaries, the observed number and orbital period distribution of the latter can constrain the evolutionary scenarios of the supergiant binaries. The distributions of post main sequence binaries and closely related systems like WR + O stars are bimodal-consisting of close and wide binaries in which the latter type is numerically dominating. When the primary star explodes as a supernova leaving behind a neutron star, the system receives a kick and in some cases can lead to runaway O-stars. We calculate the expected space velocity distribution for these systems. After the second supernova explosion, the binaries in most cases, will be disrupted leading to two runaway neutron stars. In between the two explosions, the first born neutron star’s spin evolution will be affected by accretion of mass from the companion star. We determine the steady-state spin and radio luminosity distributions of single pulsars born from the massive stars under some simple assumptions. Due to their great distance, only the brightest radio pulsars may be detected in a flux-limited survey of the LMC. A small but significant number of observable single radio pulsars arising out of the disrupted massive binaries may appear in the short spin period range. Most pulsars will have a low velocity of ejection and therefore may cluster around the OB associations in the LMC.     

Influence of α-enhancement on effective temperatures of hot subdwarfs

Observations of metal elements in some halo or bulge globular clusters and in some elliptical galaxies have shown the α-enhancement phenomenon. Hot subdwarfs are important stars, e.g., they are important sources of far-ultraviolet light in the Galaxy and have successfully been used to explain the UV-upturn in elliptical galaxies. Therefore, we try to study the impacts of α-enhancement on hot subdwarfs. In our calculation, the value of the metallicity is 0.02, all the core masses of hot subdwarfs are 0.475 M _⊙, and the envelope masses of the hot subdwarfs are 0.001, 0.005 and 0.016 M _⊙, respectively. We find that the influences of α-enhancement on luminosity and evolutionary age of hot subdwarfs are not visible. But α-enhancement can make the effective temperatures of hot subdwarfs become higher, and the thicker their envelopes are, the more obvious this influence is.