Ciprian D. Igna, Denis A. Leahy

The Nature and Origin of Hercules X-1's Light-curve Dips

A continuing debate

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

HZ Her/Her X-1 is one of the most popular low-mass X-ray binary star systems, which consists of a neutron star (Her X-1) and a post-main-sequence star (HZ Her). Her X-1 is one of the first two founding members of the accretion-powered X-ray pulsars class. Due to its large luminosity and low interstellar absorption Her X-1 remains one of the most studied pulsars. The system is characterized by a great wealth of phenomena including 1.24 s regular X-ray pulsations, 1.7-day orbital period eclipses, a superorbital X-ray intensity cycle of ~35 days, and a large number of highly variable X-ray absorption events coined light-curve dips by Riccardo Giacconi, one of the 2002 Physics Nobel Prize laureates and founder of X-ray Astronomy. Unlike the periodic X-ray flux modulations, the light-curve dips are not well understood despite more than 30 years of intense research work. We present here the largest and most recent record of Her X-1 s light-curve dips, and propose a theoretical model that reproduces the timing of any of the observed light-curve dips. The model is based on a single dip production mechanism and explains most dip properties, including the famous marching dip effect.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing
• Aufl.
• Seitenzahl: 296
• Erscheinungstermin: 29. Juli 2012
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 220mm x 150mm x 18mm
• Gewicht: 459g
• ISBN-13: 9783659148866
• ISBN-10: 3659148865
• Artikelnr.: 36190931

Autorenporträt

Dr. Igna obtained his PhD at the University of Calgary. His research interests cover a wide range, including NMR coupling phenomena, Radiotherapy, Imaging and X-ray binaries. Prof. Leahy received his PhD at the University of British Columbia. His research interests include X-ray astronomy, X-ray binaries and Supernova remnants.