Open AccessThe light curves of soft X‐ray transients
Author(s) -
A. R. King,
H. G. Ritter
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1998.01295.x
Subject(s) - physics , light curve , astrophysics , dwarf nova , exponential decay , accretion (finance) , instability , orbital period , astronomy , orbital inclination , time constant , accretion disc , white dwarf , stars , nuclear physics , mechanics , arithmetic , mathematics , binary number , electrical engineering , engineering
We show that the light curves of soft X‐ray transients (SXTs) follow naturally from the disc instability picture, adapted to take account of irradiation by the central X‐ray source during the outburst. Irradiation prevents the disc from returning to the cool state until central accretion is greatly reduced. This happens only after most of the disc mass has been accreted by the central object, on a viscous time‐scale, accounting naturally for the exponential decay of the outburst on a far longer time‐scale (τ20–40 d) than seen in dwarf novae, without any need to manipulate the viscosity parameter α. The accretion of most of the disc mass in outburst explains the much longer recurrence time of SXTs compared with dwarf novae. This picture also suggests an explanation of the secondary maximum seen in SXT light curves about 50–75 d after the start of each outburst, since central irradiation triggers the thermal instability of the outer disc, adding to the central accretion rate one viscous time later. The X‐ray outburst decay constant τ should on average increase with orbital period, but saturate at a roughly constant value ∼40 d for orbital periods longer than about a day. The bolometric light curve should show a linear rather than an exponential decay at late times (a few times τ). Outbursts of long‐period systems should be entirely in the linear decay regime, as is observed in GRO J1744−28. UV and optical light curves should resemble the X‐rays but have decay time‐scales up to 2–4 times longer.