Evolution of neutron stars in wide eccentric low-mass binary systems

Marina Afonina; Sergei Popov

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Evolution of neutron stars in wide eccentric low-mass binary systems

Marina Afonina, Sergei Popov

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Submitted 27 Jan 2025

abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review

The authors' main claim We show that the transition from the ejector to the propeller stage occurs earlier in more eccentric systems, thus increasing the time that neutron stars can spend accreting matter.

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What the abstract itself states, as probabilities: claims first 0.04 · states limitation 0.30 · human participants 0.01 · controlled comparison 0.17 · randomized assignment 0.01 · states quantitative result 0.97 · compares with prior results 0.09 · mentions code or data availability 0.02.

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Precise astrometric measurement with Gaia satellite resulted in the discovery of tens of wide binary systems consisting of a Sun-like star and an invisible component. The latter can be a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. In this paper, we model magneto-rotational evolution of neutron stars in wide low-mass binaries accounting for the orbital eccentricity. We aim to calculate when neutron stars in such systems can start to accrete matter from the stellar wind of the companion. We show that the transition from the ejector to the propeller stage occurs earlier in more eccentric systems, thus increasing the time that neutron stars can spend accreting matter. Our calculations show that in the case of efficient spin-down at the propeller stage, a neutron star in an eccentric orbit with $e\gtrsim0.6$ and a standard magnetic field $B=10^{12}$ G can start accreting within a few Gyr. For neutron stars with $B=10^{13}$ G the onset of accretion occurs earlier regardless of the orbital eccentricity. Otherwise, with a lower spin-down rate, such a neutron star will remain at the propeller stage for most of its life.

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What the classifier reports for each sentence. The number is the probability it gave the label.
#	sentence	role	the authors' own work	states the main conclusion	strength
s0	Precise astrometric measurement with Gaia satellite resulted in the discovery of tens of wide binary systems consisting of a Sun-like star and an invisible component.	background 1.00	0.08	0.02	asserted 1.00
s1	The latter can be a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.	background 1.00	0.05	0.02	hedged possibility 0.82
s2	In this paper, we model magneto-rotational evolution of neutron stars in wide low-mass binaries accounting for the orbital eccentricity.	contribution 0.57	0.85	0.04	asserted 0.79
s3	We aim to calculate when neutron stars in such systems can start to accrete matter from the stellar wind of the companion.	contribution 0.89	0.31	0.04	unclear 0.55
s4	We show that the transition from the ejector to the propeller stage occurs earlier in more eccentric systems, thus increasing the time that neutron stars can spend accreting matter.	result 0.98	0.91	0.66	asserted 1.00
s5	Our calculations show that in the case of efficient spin-down at the propeller stage, a neutron star in an eccentric orbit with $e\gtrsim0.6$ and a standard magnetic field $B=10^{12}$ G can start accreting within a few Gyr.	result 1.00	0.94	0.31	asserted 0.94
s6	For neutron stars with $B=10^{13}$ G the onset of accretion occurs earlier regardless of the orbital eccentricity.	result 1.00	0.86	0.11	asserted 1.00
s7	Otherwise, with a lower spin-down rate, such a neutron star will remain at the propeller stage for most of its life.	result 0.92	0.73	0.07	asserted 0.83

What kind of paper the classifier reports this is: theoretical result 0.51 · evidence from simulation or computation 1.00.

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Every quoted sentence on this record is the authors'. Every label is from Pith's closed vocabulary, with the probability shown beside it. Every number in the measurements table is the authors', checked by code. Record as JSON

The paper

Original abstract

Precise astrometric measurement with Gaia satellite resulted in the discovery of tens of wide binary systems consisting of a Sun-like star and an invisible component. The latter can be a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. In this paper, we model magneto-rotational evolution of neutron stars in wide low-mass binaries accounting for the orbital eccentricity. We aim to calculate when neutron stars in such systems can start to accrete matter from the stellar wind of the companion. We show that the transition from the ejector to the propeller stage occurs earlier in more eccentric systems, thus increasing the time that neutron stars can spend accreting matter. Our calculations show that in the case of efficient spin-down at the propeller stage, a neutron star in an eccentric orbit with $e\gtrsim0.6$ and a standard magnetic field $B=10^{12}$ G can start accreting within a few Gyr. For neutron stars with $B=10^{13}$ G the onset of accretion occurs earlier regardless of the orbital eccentricity. Otherwise, with a lower spin-down rate, such a neutron star will remain at the propeller stage for most of its life.

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Each citing sentence is taken from the citing paper's LaTeX source and typed by Pith's classifier. A label appears at probability 0.8 or more (0.95 for support), a contest at 0.7 or more; the quoted words are the citing authors'. How each label was checked · JSON

What it cites · 27 sentences without a confident label

Builds on 2 papers

In the second paper [ref] we modeled the NS evolution in a wide binary with a solar-like companion in a circular orbit.

Probing the propeller regime with wide neutron star binaries · Introduction · 0.84
In the first paper [ref] , we applied various propeller models to analyse magneto-rotational evolution of NSs in symbiotic X-ray binaries.

Probing the Propeller Regime with Symbiotic X-ray Binaries · Introduction · 0.88

Uses the method or tool of 3 papers

To describe the spin evolution of an NS we follow the general approach presented e.g., by [ref] .

Spin evolution of neutron stars · Main parameters · 0.92
In our model, it is derived from the solution of the Bondi-Hoyle-Lyttleton (BHL) problem (see [ref] for a review).

A Review of Bondi--Hoyle--Lyttleton Accretion · Main parameters · 0.83
We follow [ref] in defining this parameter: [equation]

Centrifugal barriers in magnetospheric accretion · Magneto-rotational evolution of a neutron star · 0.92

Uses data or values from 6 papers

The NS can both spin up and spin down, so the angular momentum consists of two terms [equation] The spin-down torque is [equation] where coefficient $k_t=0.4$ [ref] .

Probing the Propeller Regime with Symbiotic X-ray Binaries · Magneto-rotational evolution of a neutron star · 0.83
According to [ref] , this is a typical value for the slow component of the wind at distances $r≳0.2$ AU from the star (we consider $r<0.2$ AU hereafter).

Stellar Winds on the Main-Sequence I: Wind Model · The model of a binary system · 0.96
Based on observations, [ref] have estimated how the mass-loss rate scales with mass, radius, and the rotational frequency $Ω_*$ of the Sun-like star

Stellar Winds on the Main-Sequence II: the Evolution of Rotation and Winds · Influence of variations in stellar parameters · 0.83

Compares with 2 papers

Contrary to the case of NSs with $B_0=10^12$ G in circular orbits considered by [ref] , the NSs with the same field but in eccentric orbits can switch to the propeller stage within the lifetime of their companions.

Probing the propeller regime with wide neutron star binaries · Summary and conclusions · 0.86
This is similar to the case of the evolution of isolated NSs; see, e.g., [ref] .

Early Accretion Onset in Long-Period Isolated Pulsars · Model of the magneto-rotational evolution · 0.81

Cites as background 4 papers

Generally, the field decays on several different timescales [ref] .

Evolution of neutron star magnetic fields · Magneto-rotational evolution of a neutron star · 0.97
In these systems an NS is accreting from the wind of a red giant companion [ref] .

On its way to the neutron star-white dwarf binary graveyard, IGR J16194-2810, a first ascent M giant X-ray binary · Introduction · 0.87
In these systems an NS is accreting from the wind of a red giant companion [ref] .

Wind-accreting Symbiotic X-ray Binaries · Introduction · 0.87

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