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A non-pre double-peaked burst with oscillations: burning front propagation and stalling
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Strohmayer, Tod E. Bhattacharyya, Sudip |
| Copyright Year | 2006 |
| Description | Non-photospheric-radius-expansion (non-PRE) double-peaked bursts may be explained in terms of spreading (and temporary stalling) of thermonuclear flames from a rotational pole on the neutron star surface, as we argued in a previous study. Here we analyze Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) Proportional Counter Array (PCA) data of such a burst from the low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) system 4U 1636-536, and show that our model (with ignition at high latitudes) can qualitatively explain the observed burst profile, and spectral evolution. Moreover, the evolution of the source radius inferred from the data shows a strong signature of temporary stalling of the burning front, which is an essential ingredient of our model. This implies that an understanding of thermonuclear flame spreading on neutron stars can be achieved by a simultaneous study of the evolution of intensity and spectrum of these bursts. We also report the discovery of millisecond period brightness oscillations from this burst, which is the first such observation from a non-PRE double-peaked burst. Our model can explain the corresponding oscillation amplitude during the first (weaker) peak, and the absence of oscillations during the second peak. We discuss how observations of oscillations during non-PRE double-peaked bursts provide an additional t 001 for understanding thermonuclear flame spreading successfully. |
| File Size | 637126 |
| Page Count | 12 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_20060012181 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t39073d72 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 2006-01-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Astronomy Photosphere Flames Neutron Stars Radii X Ray Binaries Brightness Oscillations Spectra X Ray Timing Explorer Signatures Accretion Disks Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports Server (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
