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Session 48 - New Insights on X-ray Binaries - II.
Oral session, Wednesday, June 11
North Main Hall C/D,
We discuss several new physical processes which occur in close neutron star binaries. These processes are purely relativistic effects which can be directly traced to terms in our formulation of general relativistic hydrodynamics. In addition to the well known orbit instability, we show that these systems may also be subject to relativistically induced compression, heating and collapse. The neutrino emission associated with the compressional heating could exceed the power loss in gravity waves for hours prior to unstable plunge or collapse. In the final seconds before collapse the neutrino emission rate could reach \sim 10^53 ergs sec^-1, comparable to that from supernova collapse. Hydrodynamic fluid vorticities induced within the stars may also lead to an amplification of magnetic fields and a significant electromagnetic radiation burst from these systems. We discuss the sensitivity of these processes to the neutron star mass and equation of state. Observational consequences of these effects will also be discussed.
