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The imprint of carbon combustion on a superburst from the accreting neutron star 4U 1636-536

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dc.contributor.author Keek L.
dc.contributor.author Cumming A.
dc.contributor.author Wolf Z.
dc.contributor.author Ballantyne D.
dc.contributor.author Suleimanov V.
dc.contributor.author Kuulkers E.
dc.contributor.author Strohmayer T.
dc.date.accessioned 2018-09-18T20:31:20Z
dc.date.available 2018-09-18T20:31:20Z
dc.date.issued 2015
dc.identifier.issn 0035-8711
dc.identifier.uri https://dspace.kpfu.ru/xmlui/handle/net/140743
dc.description.abstract © 2015 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. Superbursts are hours-long X-ray flares attributed to the thermonuclear runaway burning of carbon-rich material in the envelope of accreting neutron stars. By studying the details of the X-ray light curve, properties of carbon combustion can be determined. In particular, we show that the shape of the rise of the light curve is set by the slope of the temperature profile left behind by the carbon flame. We analyse Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer/Proportional Counter Array observations of 4U 1636-536 and separate the direct neutron star emission from evolving photoionized reflection and persistent spectral components. This procedure results in the highest quality light curve ever produced for the superburst rise and peak, and interesting behaviour is found in the tail. The rising light curve between 100 and 1000 s is inconsistent with the idea that the fuel burned locally and instantaneously everywhere, as assumed in some previous models. By fitting improved cooling models, we measure for the first time the radial temperature profile of the superbursting layer.We find d ln T/d ln P ≈ 1/4. Furthermore, 20 per cent of the fuel may be left unburned. This gives a new constraint on models of carbon burning and propagation in superbursts.
dc.relation.ispartofseries Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
dc.subject Accretion
dc.subject Accretion discs
dc.subject Stars: individual: 4U 1636-536
dc.subject Stars: neutron
dc.subject X-rays: binaries
dc.subject X-rays: bursts
dc.title The imprint of carbon combustion on a superburst from the accreting neutron star 4U 1636-536
dc.type Article
dc.relation.ispartofseries-issue 4
dc.relation.ispartofseries-volume 454
dc.collection Публикации сотрудников КФУ
dc.relation.startpage 3559
dc.source.id SCOPUS00358711-2015-454-4-SID84949294330


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  • Публикации сотрудников КФУ Scopus [24551]
    Коллекция содержит публикации сотрудников Казанского федерального (до 2010 года Казанского государственного) университета, проиндексированные в БД Scopus, начиная с 1970г.

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