Journal article
Torque reversal in accretion-powered X-ray pulsars
Abstract
Accretion-powered X-ray pulsars 4U 1626-67, GX 1+4, and OAO 1657-415 have recently shown puzzling torque reversals. These reversals are characterized by short timescales, on the order of days, nearly identical spin-up and spin-down rates, and very small changes in X-ray luminosity. We propose that this phenomenon is the result of sudden dynamical changes in the accretion disks triggered by a gradual variation of mass accretion rates. These …
Authors
Yi I; Wheeler JC; Vishniac ET
Journal
Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 481, No. 1 PART II, pp. L51–L54
Publication Date
January 1, 1997
DOI
10.1086/310639
ISSN
0004-637X