X-Ray Binaries
What are X-ray Binaries?
X-ray binaries consist of a pair of stars revolving around each other. One star is a collapsed star - a neutron star or black hole - which emits intense X-ray emission when material from the second, normal star spirals in via an accretion disk. X-ray binaries are the brightest objects in the X-ray sky; there are several hundred in our Galaxy, mostly concentrated towards the Galactic centre.
Current research areas
We have an ongoing project to study the peculiar X-ray binary Circinus X-1, which contains a neutron star. This enigmatic binary has a highly relativistic jet, where material is being accelerated to 99.8% of the speed of light, the first time a neutron star has been found to have a highly relativistic jet. We are trying to understand some of the properties of this enigmatic object.
The X-ray binary A0620-00 contains a black hole instead of a neutron star. We are trying to understand the different line-formation mechanisms in accretion disks around black holes.
For more information contact Helen Johnston