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Session 73 - White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars and Pulsars.
Display session, Thursday, June 13
Great Hall,
A number of galactic neutron star binaries, including for example A0538-66, SMC X-1, and LMC X-4, have fluxes and estimated distances that correspond, for isotropic emission, to luminosities in excess of the Eddington luminosity. Moreover, since these sources all have regular pulsations and thus strong magnetic fields, the accreting matter is funneled onto small polar caps and the accretion rate per unit area can be two to three orders of magnitude greater than the nominal Eddington critical value. We explore the effects relevant to the maximum steady accretion rate in such systems, including the effects of geometry and of the angle, frequency, and polarization dependence of magnetic opacities. We also discuss anisotropies of emission, and the factor by which isotropic luminosity estimates may be in error. MCM acknowledges the support of a Compton fellowship