The centrifugal force reversal and X-ray bursts

Abstract

Heyl (2000) made an interesting suggestion that the observed shifts in QPO frequency in type I X-ray bursts could be influenced by the same geometrical effect of strong gravity as the one that causes centrifugal force reversal discovered by Abramowicz and Lasota (1974). However, his main result contains a sign error. Here we derive the correct formula and conclude that constraints on the M(R) relation for neutron stars deduced from the rotational-modulation model of QPO frequency shifts are of no practical interest because the correct formula implies a weak condition R* > 1.3 Rs, where Rs is the Schwarzschild radius. We also argue against the relevance of the rotational-modulation model to the observed frequency modulations.

3 pages, Minor revisions, A&A Letters, in press

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