Neutron star kicks plus rockets as a mechanism for forming wide low-eccentricity neutron star binaries
Abstract
Recent neutron star surface observations corroborate a long-standing theory that neutron stars may be accelerated over extended periods after their birth. We analyze how these prolonged rocket-like accelerations, combined with rapid birth kicks, impact binary orbits. We find that even a small contribution of rocket kicks combined with instantaneous natal kicks can allow binaries to reach period--eccentricity combinations unattainable in standard binary evolution models. We propose these kick + rocket combinations as a new channel to form wide low-eccentricity neutron star binaries such as Gaia NS1, as well as inducing stellar mergers months to years after a supernova to cause peculiar high-energy transients.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2407.20967,
title = {Neutron star kicks plus rockets as a mechanism for forming wide low-eccentricity neutron star binaries},
author = {Ryosuke Hirai and Philipp Podsiadlowski and Alexander Heger and Hiroki Nagakura},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2407.20967},
year = {2024}
}
Comments
11 pages, 7 figures, published in ApJL