X-Ray Transients from the Accretion-induced Collapse of White Dwarfs

• Published in: Astrophysical journal. Letters Vol. 877; no. 2; p. L21
• Main Authors: Yu, Yun-Wei, Chen, Aming, Li, Xiang-Dong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Austin The American Astronomical Society 01.06.2019; IOP Publishing
• Subjects: Accretion; Companion stars; Deposition; Ejecta; Emission; Hard X-rays; Neutron stars; Pulsar winds; Pulsars; Soft x rays; stars: neutron; Stellar winds; supernovae: general; Toruses; White dwarf stars; white dwarfs; X-ray emissions; X-rays; X-rays: general
• ISSN: 2041-8205; 2041-8213
• DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ab1f85

The accretion-induced collapse (AIC) of a white dwarf in a binary with a nondegenerate companion can sometimes lead to the formation of a rapidly rotating and highly magnetized neutron star (NS). The spin-down of this NS can drive a powerful pulsar wind (PW) and bring out some detectable multi-wavelength emissions. On the one hand, the PW can evaporate the companion in a few days to form a torus surrounding the NS. Then, due to the blockage of the PW by the torus, a reverse shock can be formed in the wind to generate intense hard X-rays. This emission component disappears in a few weeks' time, after the torus is broken down at its inner boundary and scoured into a very thin disk. On the other hand, the interaction between the PW with an AIC ejecta can lead to a termination shock of the wind, which can produce a long-lasting soft X-ray emission component. In any case, the high-energy emissions from deep inside the system can be detected only after the AIC ejecta becomes transparent for X-rays. Meanwhile, by absorbing the X-rays, the AIC ejecta can be heated effectively and generate a fast-evolving and luminous ultraviolet (UV)/optical transient. Therefore, the predicted hard and soft X-ray emissions, associated by an UV/optical transient, provide a clear observational signature for identifying AIC events in current and future observations (e.g., AT 2018cow).