RECORD
The Properties of X-Ray and Optical Light Curves of X-Ray Novae
Astrophysics · Submitted 11 Jul 1997
abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review
The authors' main claim Finally, we point out that the observed XN light curve properties can in general be explained by a disk thermal instability model, although some important problems still remain.
The compiled record
The paper's own sentences, arranged. Each label is drawn from a closed vocabulary; the number beside it is the probability the classifier gave that label. Numbers in the tables are the authors', checked by code. No sentence in this record was written by a model.
Open the compiled record
The abstract, sentence by sentence
We have collected the available data from the literature and from public data archives covering the past two decades for the long-term X-ray and optical light curves of X-ray nova (XN) outbursts, and carry out for the first time a systematic, statistical study of XN light curves which are classified into 5 morphological types. Basic light curve parameters, e.g., the outburst peak flux, amplitude, luminosity, rise and decay timescales, the observed and expected outburst durations, and total energy radiated, are tabulated and discussed. The rise timescales are found to have a flat distribution while the decay timescales have a much narrower and near-Gaussian distribution, centered around 30 days and dominated by the strongest outbursts. The peak luminosity is also distributed like a Gaussian, centered around 0.2 in Eddington units, while the total energy released has a much broader distribution around 10E44 ergs. We identify and discuss additional light curve features, such as precursors, plateaus, and secondary maxima. The plateaus exhibited in the light curves of black hole sources are found to have, on average, longer durations and they are followed by longer decays. The identified secondary maxima seem to occur mostly in black hole systems. For the frequency of outbursts, we find that the average XN outburst rate is about 2.6 per year for events >0.3 Crab, and that the mean recurrence time between outbursts from a single source is 6 years. The spatial and logN-logS distribution of the XN sources, with limited statistics, agrees with a source population in the Galactic disk, as observed from a point at a distance of 8.5 kpc from the Galactic center. Finally, we point out that the observed XN light curve properties can in general be explained by a disk thermal instability model, although some important problems still remain.
background contribution method result interpretation main claim
| # | sentence | role | the authors' own work | states the main conclusion | strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s0 | We have collected the available data from the literature and from public data archives covering the past two decades for the long-term X-ray and optical light curves of X-ray nova (XN) outbursts, and carry out for the first time a systematic, statistical study of XN light curves which are classified into 5 morphological types. | contribution 0.87 | 0.95 | 0.07 | asserted 1.00 |
| s1 | Basic light curve parameters, e.g., the outburst peak flux, amplitude, luminosity, rise and decay timescales, the observed and expected outburst durations, and total energy radiated, are tabulated and discussed. | contribution 0.74 | 0.85 | 0.04 | asserted 0.96 |
| s2 | The rise timescales are found to have a flat distribution while the decay timescales have a much narrower and near-Gaussian distribution, centered around 30 days and dominated by the strongest outbursts. | result 1.00 | 0.95 | 0.13 | asserted 1.00 |
| s3 | The peak luminosity is also distributed like a Gaussian, centered around 0.2 in Eddington units, while the total energy released has a much broader distribution around 10E44 ergs. | result 1.00 | 0.91 | 0.08 | asserted 1.00 |
| s4 | We identify and discuss additional light curve features, such as precursors, plateaus, and secondary maxima. | contribution 0.83 | 0.85 | 0.03 | asserted 0.93 |
| s5 | The plateaus exhibited in the light curves of black hole sources are found to have, on average, longer durations and they are followed by longer decays. | result 1.00 | 0.92 | 0.05 | asserted 1.00 |
| s6 | The identified secondary maxima seem to occur mostly in black hole systems. | result 1.00 | 0.87 | 0.04 | asserted 0.73 |
| s7 | For the frequency of outbursts, we find that the average XN outburst rate is about 2.6 per year for events >0.3 Crab, and that the mean recurrence time between outbursts from a single source is 6 years. | result 1.00 | 0.96 | 0.07 | asserted 1.00 |
| s8 | The spatial and logN-logS distribution of the XN sources, with limited statistics, agrees with a source population in the Galactic disk, as observed from a point at a distance of 8.5 kpc from the Galactic center. | result 0.96 | 0.86 | 0.04 | hedged possibility 0.68 |
| s9 | Finally, we point out that the observed XN light curve properties can in general be explained by a disk thermal instability model, although some important problems still remain. | interpretation 1.00 | 0.57 | 0.66 | hedged possibility 0.79 |
What was examined, and what was not
- arXiv listing abstract v1
- full text
- figures and tables
- references and citing sentences
- relations to other papers
- P abstract
- S sections
- T body sentences
- C citations
- R cross-paper relations
The paper
Original abstract
We have collected the available data from the literature and from public data archives covering the past two decades for the long-term X-ray and optical light curves of X-ray nova (XN) outbursts, and carry out for the first time a systematic, statistical study of XN light curves which are classified into 5 morphological types. Basic light curve parameters, e.g., the outburst peak flux, amplitude, luminosity, rise and decay timescales, the observed and expected outburst durations, and total energy radiated, are tabulated and discussed. The rise timescales are found to have a flat distribution while the decay timescales have a much narrower and near-Gaussian distribution, centered around 30 days and dominated by the strongest outbursts. The peak luminosity is also distributed like a Gaussian, centered around 0.2 in Eddington units, while the total energy released has a much broader distribution around 10E44 ergs. We identify and discuss additional light curve features, such as precursors, plateaus, and secondary maxima. The plateaus exhibited in the light curves of black hole sources are found to have, on average, longer durations and they are followed by longer decays. The identified secondary maxima seem to occur mostly in black hole systems. For the frequency of outbursts, we find that the average XN outburst rate is about 2.6 per year for events >0.3 Crab, and that the mean recurrence time between outbursts from a single source is 6 years. The spatial and logN-logS distribution of the XN sources, with limited statistics, agrees with a source population in the Galactic disk, as observed from a point at a distance of 8.5 kpc from the Galactic center. Finally, we point out that the observed XN light curve properties can in general be explained by a disk thermal instability model, although some important problems still remain.
Human review
References
How the literature uses it
4 arXiv papers cite this in 4 sentences
Papers citing it · 2 sentences without a confident label
Cites it as background 2 papers
-
In general, X-ray outburst profiles of low-mass X-ray binaries are known to exhibit a variety of morphologies, including fast-rise exponential-decay evolution, broken power-law decays, and multi-peaked decay structures (e.g., [ref] ).
On The Nature of Einstein Probe Transient EP250916a: Insights from X-ray, Optical, and Radio Observations · Spectral Properties of · 0.99
-
There are a few XRBs which are always luminous in X-rays and does not attain quiescence and are termed as persistent sources [ref] .
Multi-mission view of extragalactic black hole X-ray binaries LMC X-1 and LMC X-3: evolution of broadband spectral features · Introduction · 0.83
Discussion
Know something about this paper? Leave a comment, or highlight any passage above to comment on it.