Bondi-Hoyle-Lyttleton Accretion Model for Low-luminosity X-ray Sources in Globular Clusters
Astrophysics
2009-10-31 v2
Abstract
We present a new model for low-luminosity X-ray sources in globular clusters, with L_x < 10^34 erg/s. The model we propose is that of a single neutron star accreting from cluster gas that has accumulated as a natural product of stellar evolution. An analytic luminosity function is derived under the assumption that the speed distribution of neutron stars in the central region of a cluster is described by a Maxwellian, and that the density and temperature of the gas are uniform. Predictions of the model and implications for the gas content of globular clusters are discussed.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0009212,
title = {Bondi-Hoyle-Lyttleton Accretion Model for Low-luminosity X-ray Sources in Globular Clusters},
author = {Eric Pfahl and Saul Rappaport},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0009212},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
Accepted by ApJ. Minor changes and expanded conclusions section