Evolution of Low-Mass X-ray Binaries: the Effect of Donor Evaporation

Abstract

Millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are thought to originate from low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). The discovery of eclipsing radio MSPs including redbacks and black widows indicates that evaporation of the donor star by the MSP's irradiation takes place during the LMXB evolution. In this work, we investigate the effect of donor evaporation on the secular evolution of LMXBs, considering different evaporation efficiencies and related angular momentum loss. We find that for widening LMXBs, the donor star leaves a less massive white dwarf than without evaporation; for contracting systems, evaporation can speed up the evolution, resulting in dynamically unstable mass transfer and possibly the formation of isolated MSPs.

arXiv comment21 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

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• Accretion-induced Collapse from Magnetic White Dwarf Binaries and Formation of Binary Millisecond Pulsars: Redbacks and Black Widows
• Black widow formation by pulsar irradiation and sustained magnetic braking
• On the progenitors of AM CVn stars as LISA sources: the evolved donor star channel
• Evolution of post-Accretion Induced Collapse Binaries: the Effect of Evaporation
• A strange star scenario for the formation of isolated millisecond pulsars
• Internal heating mechanisms in neutron stars
• Luminous Optical and X-ray Flaring of the Putative Redback Millisecond Pulsar 1FGL J0523.5$-$2529
• ELM of ELM-WD: An extremely low mass hot star discovered in LAMOST survey
• Astrophysics with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna
• Convective dynamos of black widow companions
• On the effect of pulsar evaporation on the cooling of white dwarfs
• Influence of irradiation-driven winds on the evolution of intermediate-mass black hole X-ray binaries
• White Dwarf Mass Growth in Cataclysmic Variables: Roles of Dwarf Novae