Disk accretion onto neutron stars with a weak magnetic fields: theory of the radiation dominated boundary layer
Title: Disk accretion onto neutron stars with a weak magnetic fields: theory of the radiation dominated boundary layer
Time: 9:30AM, May 29
Location: the lecture hall in the 3rd floor
Speaker: Prof. Rashid Sunyaev (MPA, Germany)
Abstract:
We consider disk accretion onto a slowly rotating neutron star with a weak magnetic field H < 10^8 G in a wide of luminosities 0.01 < L/Ledd, where Ledd is the Eddington Luminosity. We construct a theory for the deceleration of rotation and the spread of matter over the stellar surface in the shallow-water approximation. The deceleration of Keplerian rotation and energy release take place on the stellar surface in the levitating latitude belt whose meridional extent increases with increasing accretion rate. The combined effect of centrifugal force and radiation pressure gives rise to two latitude rings of enhanced brightness which are symmetric about the equator in the upper and lower hemispheres.
