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X-ray Binaries

X-ray Binaries

X-ray Binaries

Walter H. G. Lewin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Jan van Paradijs, Universiteit van Amsterdam and Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands
Edward P. J. van den Heuvel, Universiteit van Amsterdam and Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands
March 1997
Paperback
9780521599344
AUD$102.68
exc GST
Paperback

    X-ray binaries are some of the most varied and perplexing systems known to astronomers. The compact object which accretes mass from its companion star may be a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole, whereas the donor star can be a 'normal' star or a white dwarf. The various combinations differ widely in their behaviour, and this timely volume provides a unique reference of our knowledge to date of all of them.
    Fifteen specially written chapters by a team of the world's foremost researchers in the field explore all aspects of the X-ray binaries. They cover the X-ray, ultraviolet, optical and radio properties of these violent systems and address key issues such as: how were these systems formed, and what will be their fate; how can we understand X-ray bursts, and how the quasi-periodic oscillations; what is the connection between millisecond radio pulsars and low-mass X-ray binaries; and how does the magnetic field of a neutron star decay? This long awaited review provides graduate students and researchers with the standard reference on X-ray binaries for many years to come.

    • 15 specially written chapters by the world's foremost authorities
    • hot research topic
    • key issues include X-ray pulsations, quasi-periodic oscillations, X-ray bursts

    Product details

    March 1997
    Paperback
    9780521599344
    676 pages
    248 × 175 × 31 mm
    1.385kg
    21 b/w illus. 36 tables
    Available

    Table of Contents

    • Preface
    • 1. The properties of X-ray binaries, N. E. White, F. Nagase and A. N. Parmar
    • 2. Optical and ultraviolet observations of X-ray binaries J. van Paradijs and J. E. McClintock
    • 3. Black-hole binaries Y. Tanaka and W. H. G. Lewin
    • 4. X-ray bursts Walter H. G. Lewin, Jan Van Paradijs and Ronald E. Taam
    • 5. Millisecond pulsars D. Bhattacharya
    • 6. Rapid aperiodic variability in binaries M. van der Klis
    • 7. Radio properties of X-ray binaries R. M. Hjellming and X. Han
    • 8. Cataclysmic variable stars France Anne-Dominic Córdova
    • 9. Normal galaxies and their X-ray binary populations G. Fabbiano
    • 10. Accretion in close binaries Andrew King
    • 11. Formation and evolution of neutron stars and black holes in binaries F. Verbunt and E. P. J. van den Heuvel
    • 12. The magnetic fields of neutron stars and their evolution D. Bhattacharya and G. Srinivasan
    • 13. Cosmic gamma-ray bursts K. Hurley
    • 14. A catalogue of X-ray binaries Jan van Paradijs
    • 15. A compilation of cataclysmic binaries with known or suspected orbital periods Hans Ritter and Ulrich Kolb
    • References
    • Index.
      Contributors
    • N. E. White, F. Nagase, A. N. Parmar; J. van Paradijs, J. E. McClintock, Y. Tanaka, Walter H. G. Lewin, Jan Van Paradijs, Ronald E. Taam, D. Bhattacharya, M. van der Klis, R. M. Hjellming, X. Han, France Anne-Dominic Córdova, G. Fabbiano, Andrew King, F. Verbunt, E. P. J. van den Heuvel, G. Srinivasan, K. Hurley, Jan van Paradijs, Hans Ritter, Ulrich Kolb

    • Editors
    • Walter H. G. Lewin , Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Jan van Paradijs , Universiteit van Amsterdam and Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • Edward P. J. van den Heuvel , Universiteit van Amsterdam and Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands