A binary star system where one of the stars has evolved and collapsed into an extremely dense body such as a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. The enormous gravitational attraction of the
massive, dense, but dim component pulls material from the brighter, less massive star in an accretion disk. The gravitational potential energy of the accreted matter is converted to heat by viscosity and eventually to high-energy photons in the X-ray range. The brightest X-ray binary is Scorpius X-1.
A temporary enhancement of the x-ray emission of the Sun. The time-intensity profile of soft x-ray bursts is similar to that of the H-alpha profile of an associated flare.
A rapid and intense surge of X-ray emission from some sources. They often last less than one second followed by an exponential decrease of typically a few seconds to a minute. Most X-ray bursts are be
lieved to arise in X-ray binary systems due to nuclear fusion of material accreted onto a compact companion.
A rapid and intense surge of X-ray emission from some sources. They often last less than one second followed by an exponential decrease of typically a few seconds to a minute. Most X-ray bursts are be
lieved to arise in X-ray binary systems due to nuclear fusion of material accreted onto a compact companion.
A rapid and intense surge of X-ray emission from some sources. They often last less than one second followed by an exponential decrease of typically a few seconds to a minute. Most X-ray bursts are be
lieved to arise in X-ray binary systems due to nuclear fusion of material accreted onto a compact companion.
a method for determining structure by directing a beam of X-rays at the sample and detecting the positions and intensities of the diffracted X-rays as a pattern of spots on a photographic plate. (CHMO
)