Observational evidence for the origin of X-ray sources in globular clusters

Oct, 2007
10 pages
Published in:
  • IAU Symp. 246 (2008) 301-310
Contribution to:
  • Published: May 9, 2008
e-Print:

Citations per year

20072011201520192023102
Abstract: (arXiv)
Low-mass X-ray binaries, recycled pulsars, cataclysmic variables and magnetically active binaries are observed as X-ray sources in globular clusters. We discuss the classification of these systems, and find that some presumed active binaries are brighter than expected. We discuss a new statistical method to determine from observations how the formation of X-ray sources depends on the number of stellar encounters and/or on the cluster mass. We show that cluster mass is not a proxy for the encounter number, and that optical identifications are essential in proving the presence of primordial binaries among the low-luminosity X-ray sources.