Quasi-periodic X-ray oscillations in the source Scorpius X-1

The RXTE observations of Scorpius X-1 in 1996–1999 are presented. The properties of its quasi-periodic X-ray oscillations are studied in detail. The results obtained are used for analysis in terms of the transition-layer model (TLM) and the relativistic-precession model (RPM) for a slowly rotating neutron star. Theoretical predictions of the two models are compared and their self-consistency is verified. The tilt of the magnetosphere to the accretion-disk plane, the neutron-star mass, and its angular momentum are determined in terms of the models.     

Observations of the X-ray pulsar GX 301-2 with the ART-P telescope of the GRANAT Observatory

The variability of the X-ray flux from the pulsar GX 301-2 is analyzed by using data from the ART-P telescope of the GRANAT Observatory. The intensity variations with time scales of several thousand seconds are studied at various orbital phases. The high-state flux from the source exceeds its low-state flux by as much as a factor of 10. The hardness and spectrum of the source are shown to change greatly with its intensity. These intensity variations are most likely caused by substantial inhomogeneities in the stellar wind from the companion star.     

Two years of observations of the X-ray pulsar SMC X-1 with the ART-P telescope onboard the Granat observatory

We present the observations of the pulsar SMC X-1 with the ART-P telescope onboard the Granat observatory. We investigate the variability of the flux from the source on time scales of several tens of days. The intensity variation of the pulsar are shown to be consistent with the presence of a periodicity in the system with a characteristic time scale of ～61 days. The precession of an inclined accretion disk, as indirectly confirmed by the absence of low-state pulsations, may be responsible for the observed variability. The spectrum of the source is well described by a power-law energy dependence of the photon flux density with a slope of ～1.5 and an exponential cutoff at energies above ～14–18 keV. We estimated the inclinations between the planes of the orbit and the accretion disk and the magnetic field of the neutron star.     

X-ray variability of the pulsar Vela X-1 as observed with ART-P/Granat

Observations of the X-ray pulsar Vela X-1 with the ART-P telescope onboard the Granat Observatory are presented. Variability on a time scale of several thousand seconds was detected; intensity variations are shown to be accompanied by changes in the source’s spectrum. The hardness was also found to be highly variable on a scale of one pulsation period. The source’s spectrum exhibits an absorption feature at energy ～7 keV, which is apparently attributable to cyclotron scattering/absorption in the neutron-star magnetic field. Weak persistent emission was detected during an X-ray eclipse, which probably resulted from the scattering of pulsar emission in the stellar wind from an optical star.     

Observations of the transient X-ray pulsar KS 1947+300 by the INTEGRAL and RXTE observatories

We analyze the observations of the X-ray pulsar KS 1947+300 performed by the INTEGRAL and RXTE observatories over a wide (3–100 keV) X-ray energy range. The shape of the pulse profile was found to depend on the luminosity of the source. Based on the model of a magnetized neutron star, we study the characteristics of the pulsar using the change in its spin-up rate. We estimated the magnetic field strength of the pulsar and the distance to the binary.     

Long-term INTEGRAL and RXTE observations of the X-ray pulsar LMC X-4

We analyze the observations of the X-ray pulsar LMCX-4 performed by the INTEGRAL observatory and the All-Sky Monitor (ASM) of the RXTE observatory over a wide energy range. The observed hard X-ray flux from the source is shown to change by more than a factor of 50 (from ～70 mCrab in the high state to ～1.3 mCrab in the low state) on the time scale of the accretion-disk precession period, whose mean value for 1996–2004 was determined with a high accuracy, P_prec = 30.275 ± 0.004 days. In the low state, a flare about 10 h in duration was detected from the source; the flux from the source increased by more than a factor of 4 during this flare. The shape of the pulsar’s broadband spectrum is essentially invariable with its intensity; no statistically significant features associated with the possible resonance cyclotron absorption line were found in the spectrum of the source.     

The first results of observations of the transient pulsar SAX J2103.5+4545 by the INTEGRAL observatory

We present the preliminary results of our analysis of the observations of the X-ray pulsar SAX J2103.5+4545 by the INTEGRAL Observatory in December 2002. We mapped this region of the sky in a wide energy range, from 3 to 200 keV. The detection of the source is shown to be significant up to energies of ～100 keV. The hard X-ray flux in the energy range 15–100 keV is variable and presumably depends on the orbital phase. We show that the shape of the pulsar spectrum and its parameters derived from 18–150-keV IBIS data are compatible with the RXTE observations of the source.     

Nodal and periastron precession of inclined orbits in the field of a rapidly rotating neutron star

We derive a formula for the nodal precession frequency and the Keplerian period of a particle at an arbitrary orbital inclination (with a minimum latitudinal angle reached at the orbit) in the post-Newtonian approximation in the external field of an oblate rotating neutron star (NS). We also derive formulas for the nodal precession and periastron rotation frequencies of slightly inclined low-eccentricity orbits in the field of a rapidly rotating NS in the form of asymptotic expansions whose first terms are given by the Okazaki-Kato formulas. The NS gravitational field is described by the exact solution of the Einstein equation that includes the NS quadrupole moment induced by rapid rotation. Convenient asymptotic formulas are given for the metric coefficients of the corresponding space-time in the form of Kerr metric perturbations in Boyer-Lindquist coordinates.     

Energy release on the surface of a rapidly rotating neutron star during disk accretion: A thermodynamic approach

The total energy E of a star as a function of its angular momentum J and mass M in the Newtonian theory, E=E(J, M) [in general relativity, the gravitational mass of a star as a function of its angular momentum J and rest mass m, M=M(J, m)], is used to determine the remaining parameters (angular velocity, chemical potential, etc.) in the case of rigid rotation. Expressions are derived for the energy release during accretion onto a cool (with constant entropy), rapidly rotating neutron star (NS) in the Newtonian theory and in general relativity. A separate analysis is performed for the cases where the NS equatorial radius is larger and smaller than the radius of the marginally stable orbit in the disk plane. An approximate formula is proposed for the NS equatorial radius for an arbitrary equation of state, which matches the exact equation of state at J=0.     

A young cooling neutron star in the remnant of Supernova 1987A

We describe the cooling theory for isolated neutron stars that are several tens of years old. Their cooling differs greatly from the cooling of older stars that has been well studied in the literature. It is sensitive to the physics of the inner stellar crust and even to the thermal conductivity of the stellar core, which is never important at later cooling stages. The absence of observational evidence for the formation of a neutron star during the explosion of Supernova 1987A is consistent with the fact that the star was actually born there. It may still be hidden in the dense center of the supernova remnant. If, however, the star is not hidden, then it should have a low thermal luminosity (below ～10³⁴ erg s^?1) and a short internal thermal relaxation time (shorter than 13 yr). This requires that the star undergo intense neutrino cooling (e.g., via the direct Urca process) and have a thin crust with strong superfluidity of free neutrons and/or an anomalously high thermal conductivity.     

Theory of Accretion onto Neutron Stars

Hydrodynamically stationary, spherically symmetric accretion onto a neutron star is examined taking the reverse effect of radiation into account. It is assumed that the plasma flow is adiabatic and that radiation is generated in a thin surface layer of the neutron star, where incoming particles are slowed down. It is shown that for stationary accretion, neither a stop, nor a substantial slowing down of the accretion flux is possible for any physically allowed conditions far from the neutron star.     

X-ray bursts from the source A1742-294 in the Galactic-center region

We present observations of the X-ray burster A1742-294 near the Galactic center with the ART-P telescope onboard the Granat observatory. The shape of its persistent spectra was described well by the model of bremsstrahlung from optically thin plasma, and it remained essentially unchanged over ～2.5 years of observations. We show that the mean interval between X-ray bursts from the source is several times shorter than assumed previously and that the burst profile itself depends on the flux during the burst. We analyze in detail the strong X-ray burst detected from this source on October 18, 1990, and construct the evolution curves of its luminosity and radiation temperature.     

A search for CO+ in planetary nebulae

We have carried out a systematic search for the molecular ion CO⁺ in a sample of eight protoplanetary and planetary nebulae in order to determine the origin of the unexpectedly strong HCO⁺ emission previously detected in these sources. An understanding of the HCO⁺ chemistry may provide direct clues for the physical and chemical evolution of planetary nebulae. We find that the integrated intensity of the CO⁺ line may be correlated with that of HCO⁺, suggesting that the reaction of CO⁺ with molecular hydrogen may be an important formation route for HCO⁺ in these planetary nebulae.     

The coherence of kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations in the X-rays from accreting neutron stars

We study in a systematic way the quality factor of the lower and upper kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs) in a sample of low-luminosity neutron star X-ray binaries, showing both QPOs varying over a wide frequency range. The sample includes 4U 1636−536, 4U 1608−522, 4U 1735−44, 4U 1728−34, 4U 1820−303 and 4U 0614+09. We find that all sources except 4U 0614+09 show evidence of a drop in the quality factor of their lower kHz QPOs at high frequency. For 4U 0614+09 only the rising part of the quality factor versus frequency curve has been sampled so far. At the same time, in all sources but 4U 1728−34, the quality factor of the upper kHz QPO increases all the way to the highest detectable frequencies. We show that the high-frequency behaviours of both the lower and the upper kHz QPO quality factors are consistent with what is expected if the drop is produced by the approach of an active oscillating region to the innermost stable circular orbit: the existence of which is a key feature of general relativity in the strong field regime. Within this interpretation, our results imply gravitational masses around 2 M_⊙ for the neutron stars in those systems.     

The X-ray burst detected in 1991 from the transient source SAX J1747.0-2853

We present the observations of an intense X-ray burst from the recurrent transient source SAXJ1747.0-2853 located near the Galactic center. The burst was detected by the ART-P telescope onboard the Granat observatory on October 20, 1991. The burst time profile exhibits features that clearly point to an increase in the photospheric radius of the neutron star at the burst onset. This increase is attributable to an expansion of its outer hydrogen-rich atmospheric envelope under radiation pressure. After hydrogen-envelope outflow and photospheric contraction, the radiation flux emerging from deep within the star continued to rise, which several seconds later led to a recurrent, weaker photospheric expansion attributable to the outflow of the outer helium-envelope layers. Based on the described picture, we determined the distance to the source, d=7.9±0.4 kpc. No radiation was detected by the ART-P telescope from the source in quiescence. Actually, the source itself was discovered only seven years later by the BeppoSAX satellite during its X-ray activity.