Related papers: ASTRO-H White Paper - Low-mass X-ray Binaries
We present a new method to measure the radius-to-mass ratio (R/M) of weakly magnetic, disc-accreting neutron stars by exploiting the occultation of parts of the inner disc by the star itself. This occultation imprints characteristic…
Strange quark stars (SSs) may originate from accreting neutron stars (NSs) in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). Assuming that conversion of NS matter to SSs occurs when the core density of accreting NS reaches to the density of quark…
We discuss millisecond period brightness oscillations and surface atomic spectral lines observed during type I X-ray bursts from a neutron star in a low mass X-ray binary system. We show that modeling of these phenomena can constrain models…
Nearby galaxy surveys have long classified X-ray binaries (XRBs) by the mass category of their donor stars (high-mass and low-mass). The NuSTAR observatory, which provides imaging data at E $>10$ keV, has enabled the classification of…
Abridged) We model the X-ray properties of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) by considering hot spot emission from a weakly magnetized rotating neutron star (NS) covered by an optically-thick hydrogen atmosphere. We investigate the limitations of…
A population of obscured supergiant High Mass X-ray Binaries (sgHMXBs) has been discovered by INTEGRAL. X-ray wind tomography of IGR J17252-3616 inferred a slow wind velocity to account for the enhanced obscuration. The main goal of this…
We show that stable disk accretion should be very rare among low-mass X-ray binaries and cataclysmic variables whose evolution is driven by the nuclear expansion of the secondary star on the first giant branch. Stable accretion is confined…
This article gives a very brief introduction about measuring the mass and radius of neutron star from X-ray observations. The masses and radii of neutron stars can be determined from photospheric radius expansion bursts in low-mass X-ray…
We investigate whether the magnetic field of an accreting neutron star may be diamagnetically screened by the accreted matter. We assume the freshly accumulated material is unmagnetized, and calculate the rate at which the intrinsic stellar…
Currently is argued that the best method of determining the neutron star (NS) fundamental properties is by measuring the {\it gravitational redshift} ($z$) of spectral lines produced in the star photosphere. Measurement of $z$ at the star…
Neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries accrete via Roche-lobe overflow from a stellar companion that is $\lesssim$ 1 M$_{\odot}$. The accretion disk in these systems can be externally illuminated by X-rays that are reprocessed by the…
We report on the optical identification of the neutron star burster EXO 1745-248 in Terzan 5. The identification was performed by exploiting HST/ACS images acquired in Director's Discretionary Time shortly after (approximately 1 month) the…
Measurements of neutron star masses and radii are instrumental for determining the equation of state of their interiors, understanding the dividing line between neutron stars and black holes, and for obtaining accurate statistics of source…
We report here the results of a 90 ks BeppoSAX observation of the low mass X-ray binary and atoll source KS 1731-260 during a quiescent phase. From this observation we derive a source X-ray luminosity of \sim 10^{33} ergs/s (for a source…
We present $\emph{NuSTAR}$ observations of neutron star (NS) low-mass X-ray binaries: 4U 1636-53, GX 17+2, and 4U 1705-44. We observed 4U 1636-53 in the hard state, with an Eddington fraction, $F_{\mathrm{Edd}}$, of 0.01; GX 17+2 and 4U…
For some neutron stars (NSs) in the binary systems, the masses have been accurately measured. While for the isolated neutron stars (INSs), no mass measurement has been reported yet. The situation will change soon thanks to the successful…
I review the energy spectra of low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) containing weakly magnetized accreting neutron stars (NS), emphasizing the most recent broad band (0.1-200 keV) spectral and timing observations performed by Beppo-SAX and RXTE.…
Simultaneous, precise measurements of the mass $M$ and radius $R$ of neutron stars can yield uniquely valuable information about the still uncertain properties of cold matter at several times the density of nuclear matter. One method that…
We analyzed archival X-ray spectra of MXB 1728-34 obtained in 1996-99 by the Proportional Counter Array on board of the RXTE satellite. X-ray spectra were fitted to our extensive grids of model atmosphere spectra to determine the effective…
The properties of matter at ultra-high densities, low temperatures, and with a significant asymmetry between protons and neutrons can be studied exclusively through astrophysical observations of neutron stars. We show that measurements of…