The eddington limit and soft gamma repeaters

J. I. Katz

doi:10.1086/177242

The eddington limit and soft gamma repeaters

J. I. Katz

Department of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

Observed intensities and inferred distances of soft gamma repeaters (SGRs) imply luminosities in excess of the nominal (electron scattering opacity) Eddington limit by 4-6 orders of magnitude. I review the physical basis of this limit. Accretional luminosities may exceed it if energy is hydrodynamically coupled from accreting matter to closed field lines where it forms a pair gas. This magnetically confined pair gas radiates roughly a blackbody spectrum with k_B T_e ≈ 23 keV, consistent with observations, at a luminosity up to ∼ 3 × 10⁴⁴ ergs s^-1 for a surface field of 10¹³ G. Magnetic transparency is not required. I discuss the minutes-long continuing emission of 1979 March 5, steady counterparts to SGRs and their spin periods.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	305-309
Number of pages	5
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	463
Issue number	1 PART I
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/177242
State	Published - 1996

Keywords

Accretion, accretion disks
Gamma rays: Bursts
MHD
Stars: Neutron

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10.1086/177242

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title = "The eddington limit and soft gamma repeaters",

abstract = "Observed intensities and inferred distances of soft gamma repeaters (SGRs) imply luminosities in excess of the nominal (electron scattering opacity) Eddington limit by 4-6 orders of magnitude. I review the physical basis of this limit. Accretional luminosities may exceed it if energy is hydrodynamically coupled from accreting matter to closed field lines where it forms a pair gas. This magnetically confined pair gas radiates roughly a blackbody spectrum with kB Te ≈ 23 keV, consistent with observations, at a luminosity up to ∼ 3 × 1044 ergs s-1 for a surface field of 1013 G. Magnetic transparency is not required. I discuss the minutes-long continuing emission of 1979 March 5, steady counterparts to SGRs and their spin periods.",

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T1 - The eddington limit and soft gamma repeaters

AU - Katz, J. I.

PY - 1996

Y1 - 1996

N2 - Observed intensities and inferred distances of soft gamma repeaters (SGRs) imply luminosities in excess of the nominal (electron scattering opacity) Eddington limit by 4-6 orders of magnitude. I review the physical basis of this limit. Accretional luminosities may exceed it if energy is hydrodynamically coupled from accreting matter to closed field lines where it forms a pair gas. This magnetically confined pair gas radiates roughly a blackbody spectrum with kB Te ≈ 23 keV, consistent with observations, at a luminosity up to ∼ 3 × 1044 ergs s-1 for a surface field of 1013 G. Magnetic transparency is not required. I discuss the minutes-long continuing emission of 1979 March 5, steady counterparts to SGRs and their spin periods.

AB - Observed intensities and inferred distances of soft gamma repeaters (SGRs) imply luminosities in excess of the nominal (electron scattering opacity) Eddington limit by 4-6 orders of magnitude. I review the physical basis of this limit. Accretional luminosities may exceed it if energy is hydrodynamically coupled from accreting matter to closed field lines where it forms a pair gas. This magnetically confined pair gas radiates roughly a blackbody spectrum with kB Te ≈ 23 keV, consistent with observations, at a luminosity up to ∼ 3 × 1044 ergs s-1 for a surface field of 1013 G. Magnetic transparency is not required. I discuss the minutes-long continuing emission of 1979 March 5, steady counterparts to SGRs and their spin periods.

KW - Accretion, accretion disks

KW - Gamma rays: Bursts

KW - MHD

KW - Stars: Neutron

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/30544435199

U2 - 10.1086/177242

DO - 10.1086/177242

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:30544435199

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 463

SP - 305

EP - 309

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 PART I

ER -

The eddington limit and soft gamma repeaters

Abstract

Keywords

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