Newtonian hydrodynamics of the coalescence of black holes with neutron stars – IV. Irrotational binaries with a soft equation of state

We present the results of three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of the final stages of in-spiral in a black hole–neutron star binary, when the separation is comparable to the stellar radius. We use a Newtonian smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) code to model the evolution of the system, and take the neutron star to be a polytrope with a soft (adiabatic indices     and     equation of state and the black hole to be a Newtonian point mass. The only non-Newtonian effect we include is a gravitational radiation back reaction force, computed in the quadrupole approximation for point masses. We use irrotational binaries as initial conditions for our dynamical simulations, which are begun when the system is on the verge of initiating mass transfer and followed for approximately 23 ms. For all the cases studied we find that the star is disrupted on a dynamical time-scale, and forms a massive     accretion torus around the spinning (Kerr) black hole. The rotation axis is clear of baryons (less than 10⁻⁵ M_⊙ within 10°) to an extent that would not preclude the formation of a relativistic fireball capable of powering a cosmological gamma-ray burst. Some mass (the specific amount is sensitive to the stiffness of the equation of state) may be dynamically ejected from the system during the coalescence and could undergo r-process nucleosynthesis. We calculate the waveforms, luminosities and energy spectra of the gravitational radiation signal, and show how they reflect the global outcome of the coalescence process.     

Newtonian hydrodynamics of the coalescence of black holes with neutron stars – II. Tidally locked binaries with a soft equation of state

We present a numerical study of the hydrodynamics in the final stages of inspiral of a black hole–neutron star binary, when the binary separation becomes comparable to the stellar radius. We use a Newtonian three-dimensional smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) code, and model the neutron star with a soft (adiabatic index Γ=5/3) polytropic equation of state, and the black hole as a Newtonian point mass that accretes matter via an absorbing boundary at the Schwarzschild radius. Our initial conditions correspond to tidally locked binaries in equilibrium, and we have explored configurations with different values of the mass ratio q M _NS M _BH, ranging from q =1 to 0.1. The dynamical evolution is followed for approximately 23 ms, and in every case studied here we find that the neutron star is tidally disrupted on a dynamical time-scale, forming a dense torus around the black hole that contains a few tenths of a solar mass. A nearly baryon-free axis is present in the system throughout the coalescence, and only modest beaming of a fireball that could give rise to a gamma-ray burst would be sufficient to avoid excessive baryon contamination. We find that some mass (of the order of 10⁻³–10⁻² M_⊙) may be dynamically ejected from the system, and could thus contribute substantially to the amount of observed r-process material in the galaxy. We calculate the gravitational radiation waveforms and luminosity emitted during the coalescence in the quadrupole approximation.     

Neutron star spin–kick velocity correlation effect on binary neutron star coalescence rates and spin–orbit misalignment of the components

We study the effect of the neutron star spin–kick velocity alignment observed in young radio pulsars on the coalescence rate of binary neutron stars. Two scenarios are considered for neutron star formation: when the kick is always present, and when it is small or absent if a neutron star is formed in a binary system as a result of electron-capture degenerate core collapse. The effect is shown to be especially strong for large kick amplitudes and tight alignments, reducing the expected galactic rate of binary neutron star coalescence compared to calculations with randomly directed kicks. The spin–kick correlation also leads to a much narrower neutron star spin–orbit misalignment.     

Mutual friction in superfluid neutron stars

We discuss vortex-mediated mutual friction in the two-fluid model for superfluid neutron star cores. Our discussion is based on the general formalism developed by Carter and collaborators, which makes due distinction between transport velocity and momentum for each fluid. This is essential for an implementation of the so-called entrainment effect, whereby the flow of one fluid imparts momentum in the other and vice versa. The mutual friction follows by balancing the Magnus effect that acts on the quantized neutron vortices with resistivity due to the scattering of electrons off of the magnetic field with which each vortex core is endowed. We derive the form of the macroscopic mutual friction force which is relevant for a model based on smooth-averaging over a collection of vortices. We discuss the coefficients that enter the expression for this force, and the time-scale on which the two interpenetrating fluids in a neutron star core are coupled. This discussion confirms that our new formulation accords well with previous work in this area.     

Distribution of compact object mergers around galaxies

Compact object mergers are one of the currently favoured models for the origin of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The discovery of optical afterglows and identification of the nearest, presumably host, galaxies allow the analysis of the distribution of burst sites with respect to these galaxies. Using a model of stellar binary evolution we synthesize a population of compact binary systems which merge within the Hubble time. We include the kicks in the supernovae explosions and calculate orbits of these binaries in galactic gravitational potentials. We present the resulting distribution of merger sites and discuss the results in the framework of the observed GRB afterglows.     

Pulsar slow glitches in a solid quark star model

A series of five unusual slow glitches of the radio pulsar B1822–09 (PSR J1825–0935) was observed between 1995 and 2005. This is a phenomenon that is understood in a solid quark star model, and reasonable parameters for slow glitches are given in this paper. We propose that, because of increasing shear stress as the pulsar spins down, a slow glitch may occur, beginning with the collapse of a superficial layer of the quark star. This layer of material turns to viscous fluid at first, the viscosity of which helps to deplete the energy released from both the accumulated elastic energy and the gravitation potential. There is then a slow glitch. Numerical calculations show that the slow glitches that have been observed could be reproduced if the effective coefficient of viscosity is ∼10² cm² s⁻¹ and the initial velocity of the superficial layer is of the order of 10⁻¹⁰ cm s⁻¹ in the coordinate rotating frame of the star.     

Supernovae in helium star–compact object binaries: a possible γ-ray burst mechanism

Helium star–compact object binaries, and helium star–neutron star binaries in particular, are widely believed to be the progenitors of the observed double-neutron-star systems. In these, the second neutron star is presumed to be the compact remnant of the helium star supernova. In this paper, the observational implications of such a supernova are discussed, and in particular are explored as a candidate γ-ray burst mechanism. In this scenario, the supernova results in a transient period of rapid accretion on to the compact object, extracting via magnetic torques its rotational energy at highly super-Eddington luminosities in the form of a narrowly beamed, strongly electromagnetically dominated jet. Compton scattering of supernova photons advected within the ejecta, and photons originating at shocks driven into the ejecta by the jet, will cool the jet and can produce the observed prompt emission characteristics, including the peak-inferred isotropic energy relation, X-ray flash characteristics, subpulse light curves, energy-dependent time lags and subpulse broadening, and late time spectral softening. The duration of the burst is limited by the rate of Compton cooling of the jet, eventually creating an optically thick, moderately relativistically expanding fireball that can produce the afterglow emission. If the black hole or neutron star stays bound to a compact remnant, late term light curve variability may be observed as in SN 2003dh.     

High-resolution calculations of merging neutron stars – II. Neutrino emission

The remnant resulting from the merger of two neutron stars produces neutrinos in copious amounts. In this paper we present the neutrino emission results obtained via Newtonian, high-resolution simulations of the coalescence event. These simulations use three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics together with a nuclear, temperature-dependent equation of state and a multiflavour neutrino leakage scheme. We present the details of our scheme, discuss the neutrino emission results from a neutron star coalescence and compare them with the core-collapse supernova case where neutrino emission has been studied for several decades. The average neutrino energies are similar to those in the supernova case, but contrary to the latter, the luminosities are dominated by electron-type antineutrinos that are produced in the hot, neutron-rich, thick disc of the merger remnant. The cooler parts of this disc contain substantial fractions of heavy nuclei, which, however, do not influence the overall neutrino emission results significantly. Our total neutrino luminosities from the merger event are considerably lower than those found in previous investigations. This imposes constraints on the ability of neutron star mergers to produce a gamma-ray burst via neutrino annihilation. The neutrinos are emitted preferentially along the initial binary rotation axis, an event seen 'pole-on' would appear much brighter in neutrinos than a similar event seen 'edge-on'.