Open AccessDouble‐core evolution and the formation of neutron star binaries with compact companions
Author(s) -
Dewi J. D. M.,
Podsiadlowski Ph.,
Sena A.
Publication year - 2006
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10233.x
Subject(s) - physics , neutron star , common envelope , astrophysics , binary number , core (optical fiber) , star (game theory) , range (aeronautics) , population , envelope (radar) , astronomy , stars , optics , aerospace engineering , demography , arithmetic , mathematics , engineering , sociology , white dwarf , radar
We present the results of a systematic exploration of an alternative evolutionary scenario to form double neutron star (DNS) binaries, first proposed by Brown (1995), which does not involve a neutron star passing through a common envelope. In this scenario, the initial binary components have very similar masses, and both components have left the main sequence before they evolve into contact; preferably the primary has already developed a CO core. We have performed population synthesis simulations to study the formation of DNS binaries via this channel and to predict the orbital properties and system velocities of such systems. We obtain a merger rate for DNSs in this channel in the range of 0.1–12 Myr −1 . These rates are still subject to substantial uncertainties such as the modelling of the contact phase.