G. Wiktorowicz
The cosmic distance scale is built on multiple different techniques for estimating distances in space that are often connected and dependent on multiple measurements and assumptions. Double white dwarf binaries (DWDs) are common objects and…
Recent findings show that, in some Milky Way globular clusters (GCs), pristine red giant branch (RGB) stars are more centrally concentrated than enriched RGB stars. This contradicts most multiple-population formation scenarios, which…
HR 6819 was recently reported to be a triple system with a dormant black hole (BH). The inner binary system was defined as a star estimated to be at the end of its main sequence and a dormant BH. As the inner binary is not resolved, the…
All ten LIGO/Virgo binary black hole (BH-BH) coalescences reported from the O1/O2 runs have near zero effective spins. There are only three potential explanations of this fact. If the BH spin magnitudes are large then (i) either both BH…
The first neutron star-neutron star (NS-NS) merger was discovered on August 17, 2017 through gravitational waves (GW170817) and followed with electromagnetic observations. This merger was detected in an old elliptical galaxy with no recent…
Single star evolution does not allow extremely low-mass stars to cross the classical instability strip (IS) during the Hubble time. However, within binary evolution framework low-mass stars can appear inside the IS once the mass transfer…
Mergers of two stellar origin black holes are a prime source of gravitational waves and are under intensive investigations. One crucial ingredient in their modeling has so far been neglected. Pair-instability pulsation supernovae with…
The mass distribution of neutron stars and stellar-mass black holes provides vital clues into the nature of stellar core collapse and the physical engine responsible for supernova explosions. Using recent advances in our understanding of…
It is firmly established that the stellar mass distribution is smooth, covering the range 0.1-100 Msun. It is to be expected that the masses of the ensuing compact remnants correlate with the masses of their progenitor stars, and thus it is…