An official website of the United States government
Abstract We present a start-to-end simulation aimed at studying the long-term fate of high-mass X-ray binaries and whether a Thorne–Żytkow object (TŻO) might ultimately be assembled. We analyze results from a 3D hydrodynamical simulation that models the eventual fate of LMC X-4, a compact high-mass X-ray binary system, after the primary fills its Roche lobe and engulfs the neutron star companion. We discuss the outcome of this engulfment within the standard paradigm of TŻO formation. The post-merger angular momentum content of the stellar core is a key ingredient, as even a small amount of rotation can break spherical symmetry and produce a centrifugally supported accretion disk. Our findings suggest the inspiraling neutron star, upon merging with the core, can accrete efficiently via a disk at high rates (≈10−2M⊙s−1), subsequently collapsing into a black hole and triggering a bright transient with a luminosity and duration typical of an ultra-long gamma-ray burst. We propose that the canonical framework for TŻO formation via common envelope needs to be revised, as the significant post-merger accretion feedback will unavoidably unbind the vast majority of the surrounding envelope.
more »
« less
Hydrodynamic 3D Simulation of Roche Lobe Overflow in High-mass X-Ray Binaries
Abstract While binary merger events have been an active area of study in both simulations and observational work, the formation channels by which a high-mass star extends from Roche lobe overflow (RLO) in a decaying orbit of a black-hole (BH) companion to a binary black-hole (BBH) system merits further investigation. Variable length-scales must be employed to accurately represent the dynamical fluid transfer and morphological development of the primary star as it conforms to a diminishing Roche lobe under the runaway influence of the proximal BH. We have simulated and evolved binary mass flow under these conditions to better identify the key transitional processes from RLO to BBHs. We demonstrate a new methodology to model RLO systems to unprecedented resolution simultaneously across the envelope, donor wind, tidal stream, and accretion disk regimes without reliance upon previously universal symmetry, mass flux, and angular momentum flux assumptions. We have applied this method to the semidetached high-mass X-ray binary M33 X-7 in order to provide a direct comparison to recent observations of an RLO candidate system at two overflow states of overfilling factorsf= 1.01 andf= 1.1. We found extreme overflow (f= 1.1) to be entirely conservative in both mass and angular momentum transport, forming a conical L1 tidal stream of density and deflected angle comparable to existing predictions. This case lies within the unstable mass transfer (MT) regime as recently proposed of M33 X-7. Thef= 1.01 case differed in stream geometry, accretion disk size, and efficiency, demonstrating nonconservative stable MT through a ballistic uniform-width stream. The nonconservative and stable nature of thef= 1.01 case MT also suggests that existing assumptions of semidetached binaries undergoing RLO may mischaracterize their role and distribution as progenitors of BBHs and common envelopes.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 2308141
- PAR ID:
- 10552930
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.3847
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Astrophysical Journal
- Volume:
- 975
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 0004-637X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: Article No. 130
- Size(s):
- Article No. 130
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
All ten LIGO/Virgo binary black hole (BH-BH) coalescences reported following the O1/O2 runs have near-zero effective spins. There are only three potential explanations for this. If the BH spin magnitudes are large, then: (i) either both BH spin vectors must be nearly in the orbital plane or (ii) the spin angular momenta of the BHs must be oppositely directed and similar in magnitude. Then there is also the possibility that (iii) the BH spin magnitudes are small. We consider the third hypothesis within the framework of the classical isolated binary evolution scenario of the BH-BH merger formation. We test three models of angular momentum transport in massive stars: a mildly efficient transport by meridional currents (as employed in the Geneva code), an efficient transport by the Tayler-Spruit magnetic dynamo (as implemented in the MESA code), and a very-efficient transport (as proposed by Fuller et al.) to calculate natal BH spins. We allow for binary evolution to increase the BH spins through accretion and account for the potential spin-up of stars through tidal interactions. Additionally, we update the calculations of the stellar-origin BH masses, including revisions to the history of star formation and to the chemical evolution across cosmic time. We find that we can simultaneously match the observed BH-BH merger rate density and BH masses and BH-BH effective spins. Models with efficient angular momentum transport are favored. The updated stellar-mass weighted gas-phase metallicity evolution now used in our models appears to be key for obtaining an improved reproduction of the LIGO/Virgo merger rate estimate. Mass losses during the pair-instability pulsation supernova phase are likely to be overestimated if the merger GW170729 hosts a BH more massive than 50 M ⊙ . We also estimate rates of black hole-neutron star (BH-NS) mergers from recent LIGO/Virgo observations. If, in fact. angular momentum transport in massive stars is efficient, then any (electromagnetic or gravitational wave) observation of a rapidly spinning BH would indicate either a very effective tidal spin up of the progenitor star (homogeneous evolution, high-mass X-ray binary formation through case A mass transfer, or a spin- up of a Wolf-Rayet star in a close binary by a close companion), significant mass accretion by the hole, or a BH formation through the merger of two or more BHs (in a dense stellar cluster).more » « less
-
Abstract The conventional accretion disk lore is that magnetized turbulence is the principal angular momentum transport process that drives accretion. However, when dynamically important large-scale magnetic fields thread an accretion disk, they can produce mass and angular momentum outflows, known as winds,that also drive accretion. Yet, the relative importance of turbulent and wind-driven angular momentum transport is still poorly understood. To probe this question, we analyze a long-duration (1.2 × 105rg/c) simulation of a rapidly rotating (a= 0.9) black hole feeding from a thick (H/r∼ 0.3), adiabatic, magnetically arrested disk (MAD), whose dynamically important magnetic field regulates mass inflow and drives both uncollimated and collimated outflows (i.e., winds and jets, respectively). By carefully disentangling the various angular momentum transport processes within the system, we demonstrate the novel result that disk winds and disk turbulence both extract roughly equal amounts of angular momentum from the disk. We find cumulative angular momentum and mass accretion outflow rates of and , respectively. This result suggests that understanding both turbulent and laminar stresses is key to understanding the evolution of systems where geometrically thick MADs can occur, such as the hard state of X-ray binaries, low-luminosity active galactic nuclei, some tidal disruption events, and possibly gamma-ray bursts.more » « less
-
Wind Roche-lobe Overflow in Low-mass Binaries: Exploring the Origin of Rapidly Rotating Blue LurkersAbstract Wind Roche-lobe overflow (WRLOF) is a mass-transfer mechanism proposed by Mohamed and Podsiadlowski for stellar binaries wherein the wind acceleration zone of the donor star exceeds its Roche-lobe radius, allowing stellar wind material to be transferred to the accretor at enhanced rates. WRLOF may explain characteristics observed in blue lurkers and blue stragglers. While WRLOF has been implemented in rapid population synthesis codes, it has yet to be explored thoroughly in detailed binary models such asMESA(a 1D stellar evolution code), and over a wide range of initial binary configurations. We incorporate WRLOF accretion inMESAto investigate wide low-mass binaries at solar metallicity. We perform a parameter study over the initial orbital periods and stellar masses. In most of the models where we consider angular momentum transfer during accretion, the accretor is spun up to the critical (or breakup) rotation rate. Then we assume the star develops a boosted wind to efficiently reduce the angular momentum so that it could maintain subcritical rotation. Balanced by boosted wind loss, the accretor only gains ∼2% of its total mass, but can maintain a near-critical rotation rate during WRLOF. Notably, the mass-transfer efficiency is significantly smaller than in previous studies in which the rotation of the accretor is ignored. We compare our results to observational data of blue lurkers in M67 and find that the WRLOF mechanism can qualitatively explain the origin of their rapid rotation, their location on the H-R diagram, and their orbital periods.more » « less
-
Context. Many physical processes taking place during the evolution of binary stellar systems remain poorly understood. The ever-expanding observational sample of X-ray binaries (XRBs) makes them excellent laboratories for constraining binary evolution theory. Such constraints and useful insights can be obtained by studying the effects of various physical assumptions on synthetic X-ray luminosity functions (XLFs) and comparing them with observed XLFs. Aims. In this work we focus on high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) and study the effects on the XLF of various, poorly constrained assumptions regarding physical processes, such as the common-envelope phase, core collapse, and wind-fed accretion. Methods. We used the new binary population synthesis code POSYDON , which employs extensive precomputed grids of detailed stellar structure and binary evolution models, to simulate the entire evolution of binaries. We generated 96 synthetic XRB populations corresponding to different combinations of model assumptions, including different prescriptions for supernova kicks, supernova remnant masses, common-envelope evolution, circularization at the onset of Roche-lobe overflow, and observable wind-fed accretion. Results. The generated HMXB XLFs are feature-rich, deviating from the commonly assumed single power law. We find a break in our synthetic XLF at luminosity ∼10 38 erg s −1 , similar to observed XLFs. However, we also find a general overabundance of XRBs (up to a factor of ∼10 for certain model parameter combinations) driven primarily by XRBs with black hole accretors. Assumptions about the transient behavior of Be XRBs, asymmetric supernova kicks, and common-envelope physics can significantly affect the shape and normalization of our synthetic XLFs. We find that less well-studied assumptions regarding the circularization of the orbit at the onset of Roche-lobe overflow and criteria for the formation of an X-ray-emitting accretion disk around wind-accreting black holes can also impact our synthetic XLFs and reduce the discrepancy with observations. Conclusions. Our synthetic XLFs do not always agree well with observations, especially at intermediate X-ray luminosities, which is likely due to uncertainties in the adopted physical assumptions. While some model parameters leave distinct imprints on the shape of the synthetic XLFs and can reduce this deviation, others do not have a significant effect overall. Our study reveals the importance of large-scale parameter studies, highlighting the power of XRBs in constraining binary evolution theory.more » « less
