Signs of magnetic accretion in X-ray pulsars

Abstract

The spin-down mechanism of accreting neutron stars is discussed with an application to one of the best studied X-ray pulsars GX 301-2. We show that the maximum possible spin-down torque applied to a neutron star from the accretion flow can be evaluated as $K_{\mathrm{sd}}^{(\mathrm{t})}={\mu }^2/(r_{\mathrm{m}}{r}_{\mathrm{cor}}{)}^{3/2}$. The spin-down rate of the neutron star in GX 301-2 can be explained provided the magnetospheric radius of the neutron star is smaller than its canonical value. We calculate the magnetospheric radius considering the mass-transfer in the binary system in the frame of the magnetic accretion scenario suggested by V.F. Shvartsman. The spin-down rate of the neutron star expected within this approach is in a good agreement with that derived from observations of GX 301-2.

arXiv commentaccepted for publication in Astronomy Reports

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• A new look at Anomalous X-ray Pulsars
• Spin evolution of long-period X-ray pulsars
• Features of the Matter Flows in the Peculiar Cataclysmic Variable AE Aquarii
• Evidence for Magneto-Levitation Accretion in Long-Period X-ray Pulsars
• MAD-Accretion Scenario in High-Mass X-Ray Binaries with Neutron Stars
• Accretion into black hole, and formation of magnetically arrested accretion disks