Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Duncan Galloway: Measuring neutron star parameters from mixed H/He thermonuclear bursts


Duncan discussed a promising approach to constrain the neutron star parameters from type-I X-ray bursts. Comparing observed burst lightcurves with theoretical models allows for an independent distance measurement, whereas the neutron star radius can be constrained from fitting the spectral data and the Eddington flux can be estimated from modeling the temperature profile in the neutron star crust. This combination allows one to put constraints on the neutron star mass and radius. The technique is applied to the bursters GS 1826-24 and KS 1731-26. Eddington limited X-ray bursts have been detected from the latter, which provides additional constraints.

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