The astrophysics of accretion in compact binaries
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
Unlike our Sun, the majority of stars find themselves in gravitationally bound pairs known as binary stars. The interaction between the two stars often leads to the formation of a compact pair with the lower mass donor star losing mass onto the more massive primary. Such interactions can produce very energetic objects as the potential energy that is released is converted into radiation and heat. The most extreme examples contain a very small but massive remnant of a star, which can be either a white dwarf for a star the mass of our Sun, or a neutron star or black hole for more massive stars. These two stars can orbit around each other in as little as a few minutes. I propose to employ novel imaging techniques, which are very similar to the CAT scanning methods used in hospitals, in order to study this interaction using the latest telescopes and instruments. This allows us to reconstruct images and even movies that show this interaction in detail despite the fact that such double stars are not resolved in even our biggest telescopes. I will use these reconstructed images of binaries to study the wide variety of physical processes that occur in these systems. These include turbulence, tidal interactions, outflows and jets, relativistic physics near black holes and the structure of matter under extreme conditions. My work relies on exploiting the latest suite of ground-based telescopes in conjunction with space-based observations at wavelengths that are not accessible from earth. In order to determine how binaries affect the populations of stars in galaxies such as our Milky Way, I also intend to search for many new systems using wide-field digital cameras attached to large telescopes. This combination will allow me to test our current ideas concerning the formation, structure and time evolution of a wide range of binary systems.
Publications
Galloway D
(2013)
PRECISION EPHEMERIDES FOR GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE SEARCHES. I. Sco X-1
in The Astrophysical Journal
Premachandra S
(2016)
PRECISION EPHEMERIDES FOR GRAVITATIONAL WAVE SEARCHES. II. CYG X-2
in The Astrophysical Journal
BARROS, SCC And MARSH, TR And DHILLON, VS And GROOT, PJ And LITTLEFAIR, S And NELEMANS, G And ROELOFS, G And STEEGHS, D And WHEATLEY, PJ
Photometry of V407 Vul and RXJ0806.3+1527: Twin systems ?
Luna G
(2010)
PHOTOIONIZED FEATURES IN THE X-RAY SPECTRUM OF EX HYDRAE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Cornelisse R
(2009)
Phase-resolved spectroscopy of the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658 during the 2008 outburst
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Girven J
(2010)
PG 1258+593 and its common proper motion magnetic white dwarf counterpart
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Southworth J
(2010)
Orbital periods of cataclysmic variables identified by the SDSS VIII. A slingshot prominence in SDSS J003941.06 + 005427.5??
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Southworth J
(2008)
Orbital periods of cataclysmic variables identified by the SDSS - V. VLT, NTT and Magellan observations of nine equatorial systems
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bassa C
(2009)
Optical spectroscopy of the quiescent counterpart to EXO???0748???676
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ratti E
(2012)
Optical spectroscopy of the quiescent counterpart to EXO 0748-676: a black widow scenario? Optical spectroscopy of EXO 0748-676
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cornelisse R
(2007)
Optical spectroscopy of the low-mass X-ray binary GX 9+9 Optical spectroscopy of GX 9+9
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Jonker P
(2008)
Optical and X-Ray Observations of IGR J00291+5934 in Quiescence
in The Astrophysical Journal
Roelofs G
(2007)
On the orbital periods of the AM CVn stars HP Librae and V803 Centauri
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Steeghs D
(2007)
On the Mass of the Neutron Star in V395 Carinae/2S 0921-630
in The Astrophysical Journal
Torres M
(2008)
Observations of the 599 Hz Accreting X-Ray Pulsar IGR J00291+5934 during the 2004 Outburst and in Quiescence
in The Astrophysical Journal
Witham A
(2007)
Newly discovered cataclysmic variables from the INT/WFC photometric Ha survey of the northern Galactic plane Newly discovered CVs from IPHAS
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Greiss S
(2014)
Near-infrared counterparts to the Galactic Bulge Survey X-ray source population
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ramsay G
(2010)
Multiwavelength observations of the helium dwarf nova KL Dra through its outburst cycle The outburst cycle of KL Dra
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Reis R
(2011)
Multistate observations of the Galactic black hole XTE J1752-223: evidence for an intermediate black hole spin Spin from reflection features: XTE J1752-223
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Anderson G
(2012)
MULTI-WAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS OF THE RADIO MAGNETAR PSR J1622-4950 AND DISCOVERY OF ITS POSSIBLY ASSOCIATED SUPERNOVA REMNANT
in The Astrophysical Journal
Barnes A
(2007)
Kinematical studies of the low-mass X-ray binary GR Mus (XB 1254-690) GR Mus
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Greiss S
(2013)
KIC11911480: the second ZZ Ceti in the $Kepler$ field
Greiss S
(2014)
KIC 11911480: the second ZZ Ceti in the Kepler field
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bloemen S
(2010)
Kepler observations of the beaming binary KPD 1946+4340 Kepler observations of KPD 1946+4340
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bloemen S
(2010)
Kepler observations of the beaming binary KPD 1946+4340
Vink J
(2008)
IPHAS discoveries of young stars towards Cyg OB2 and its southern periphery
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cackett E
(2008)
Investigating the Nature of Absorption Lines in the Chandra X-Ray Spectra of the Neutron Star Binary 4U 1820-30
in The Astrophysical Journal
Caballero-GarcÃa M
(2009)
INTEGRAL AND XMM-NEWTON SPECTROSCOPY OF GX 339-4 DURING HARD/SOFT INTERMEDIATE AND HIGH/SOFT STATES IN THE 2007 OUTBURST
in The Astrophysical Journal
Miller J
(2008)
Initial Measurements of Black Hole Spin in GX 339-4 from Suzaku Spectroscopy
in The Astrophysical Journal
Greiss S
(2012)
INITIAL DATA RELEASE OF THE KEPLER -INT SURVEY
in The Astronomical Journal
Gonzlez-Solares E
(2008)
Initial data release from the INT Photometric H Survey of the Northern Galactic Plane (IPHAS)
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Watson C
(2007)
Imaging the cool stars in the interacting binaries AE Aqr, BV Cen and V426 Oph
in Astronomische Nachrichten
Hynes R
(2012)
IDENTIFICATION OF GALACTIC BULGE SURVEY X-RAY SOURCES WITH TYCHO-2 STARS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Britt C
(2013)
IDENTIFICATION OF FIVE INTERACTING BINARIES IN THE GALACTIC BULGE SURVEY
in The Astrophysical Journal
Anderson G
(2011)
IDENTIFICATION OF A POPULATION OF X-RAY-EMITTING MASSIVE STARS IN THE GALACTIC PLANE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Torres M
(2014)
Identification of 23 accreting binaries in the Galactic Bulge Survey
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Roelofs G
(2007)
Hubble Space Telescope Parallaxes of AM CVn Stars and Astrophysical Consequences
in The Astrophysical Journal
Durant M
(2011)
High time resolution optical/X-ray cross-correlations for X-ray binaries: anticorrelations and rapid variability X-ray binaries: optical/X-ray cross-correlations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bloemen S.
(2010)
High speed spectroscopy of intermediate polars
in Proceedings of Science
Sale S
(2009)
High spatial resolution Galactic 3D extinction mapping with IPHAS
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hodgkin S
(2021)
Gaia Early Data Release 3 Gaia photometric science alerts
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Jonker P
(2010)
Following the 2008 outburst decay of the black hole candidate H 1743-322â??in X-ray and radio
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Raddi R
(2013)
First results of an Ha based search of classical Be stars in the Perseus Arm and beyond
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Wright N
(2008)
Extremely red stellar objects revealed by IPHAS
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Munoz-Darias T
(2007)
Echoes from the companion star in Sco X-1
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Muñoz-Darias T
(2009)
Dynamical constraints on the neutron star mass in EXO 0748-676
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Steeghs D
(2007)
Dynamical Constraints on the Component Masses of the Cataclysmic Variable WZ Sagittae
in The Astrophysical Journal
Calvelo D
(2009)
Doppler and modulation tomography of XTE J1118+480 in quiescence
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
| Description | Advanced our understanding of binary stellar systems and the physics of accretion. |
| Exploitation Route | Sharing of data and techniques |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education |
| Description | Used by peers in scientific community |
| Sector | Education |
| Description | Royal Society MP Pairing Scheme |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Description | Long-term link with Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics |
| Organisation | Harvard University |
| Department | Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Long-term research collaboration with High-Energy astrophysics Dividion |
| Collaborator Contribution | Offer expertise as well as access to facilities |
| Impact | N/A |
| Description | Media work |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Several press releases, interviews and quotes in large popular science media. Strong evidence for reaching broad audience, work cited on blogs and news sites. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011 |