Related papers: AM CVn stars
Interferometric detectors will very soon give us an unprecedented view of the gravitational-wave sky, and in particular of the explosive and transient Universe. Now is the time to challenge our theoretical understanding of short-duration…
We present extensive photometric and spectroscopic observations of PTF1 J071912.13+485834.0, an outbursting AM CVn system discovered by the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF). AM CVn systems are stellar binaries with some of the smallest…
In the next few years, the first detections of gravity-wave signals using Earth-based interferometric detectors will begin to provide precious new information about the structure and dynamics of compact bodies such as neutron stars. The…
The angular momentum (AM) content of massive stellar cores helps to determine the natal spin rates of neutron stars and black holes. Asteroseismic measurements of low-mass stars have proven that stellar cores rotate slower than predicted by…
The excitation of the axial quasi-normal modes of a relativistic star by scattered particles is studied by evolving the time dependent perturbation equations. This work is the first step towards the understanding of more complicated…
Stars can either be formed in or captured by the accretion disks in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). These AGN stars are irradiated and subject to extreme levels of accretion, which can turn even low-mass stars into very massive ones ($M > 100…
I briefly review recent developments in the study of circumstellar debris disks, particularly at infrared and sub-millimeter wavelengths, and discuss possible avenues of research for the near future.
(Abridged) We present high-speed, three-colour photometry of seven short period (Porb <= 95 mins) eclipsing CVs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We determine the system parameters via a parametrized model of the eclipse fitted to the…
We review theoretical developments in studies of dense matter and its phase structure of relevance to compact stars. Observational data on compact stars, which can constrain the properties of dense matter, are presented critically and…
The recent identification of several groups of young stars within 100 parsecs of the Sun has generated widespread interest. Given their proximity and possible age differences, these systems are ideally suited for detailed studies of disk…
Hot stars are the main source of ionization of the interstellar medium and its enrichment due to heavy elements. Constraining the physical conditions of their environments is crucial to understand how these stars evolve and their impact on…
Despite the prevalence of jets in accreting systems and their impact on the surrounding medium, the fundamental physics of how they are launched and collimated is not fully understood. Radio observations of local compact objects, including…
Photospheric radiation momentum is efficiently transferred by absorption through metal lines to the gaseous matter in the atmospheres of massive stars, sustaining strong winds and mass loss rates. Not only is this critical for the evolution…
We present a new sample of $K$-band spectral observations for CVs: non-magnetic and magnetic as well as present day and pre CVs. The purpose of this diverse sample is to address the recent claim that the secondary stars in dwarf novae are…
The fastest-spinning neutron stars in low-mass X-ray binaries, despite having undergone millions of years of accretion, have been observed to spin well below the Keplerian break-up frequency. We simulate the spin evolution of synthetic…
{\rm Context.} Atomic diffusion is believed to cause the abundance anomalies observed in AmFm stars. However, the detailed process has still not been well-established. For instance, two possible scenarios for the diffusion theory are…
I describe the current state of our knowledge of the mapping between the initial masses of stars and the compact objects -- particularly neutron stars and black holes -- that they produce. Most of that knowledge is theoretical in nature,…
The first multimessenger observation of a neutron star merger was independently detected in gamma-rays by Fermi-GBM and INTEGRAL SPI-ACS and gravitational waves by Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo. Gravitational waves are emitted from…
Accreting compact objects are crucial to understand several important astrophysical phenomena such as Type Ia supernovae, gravitational waves, or X-ray and $\gamma$-ray bursts. In addition, they are natural laboratories to infer fundamental…
We address in this work the nature and evolution of the long-period compact star sources, which has recently added several unexpected members. The central hypothesis is that particle winds drive their evolution, being an important factor…