2018/05/23 by R. Di Stefano, Di Stefano, Rosanne
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced X-ray and CT Imaging #Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA) #FOS: Physical sciences #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE) #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1805.09338
openalex publication_date 2018/05/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Close-orbit binaries consisting of two compact objects are a center of\nattention because of the detection of gravitational-radiation-induced mergers.\nThe creation of close, compact-object binaries involves physical processes that\nare not yet well understood; there are open questions about the manner in which\ntwo compact objects come to be close enough to merge within a Hubble time. Here\nwe explore an important, and likely common physical process: mass transfer from\na third star in a wider, hierarchical orbit. Mass added to the close binary's\ncomponents can reduce the time to merger and can even change the nature of an\naccretor, transforming a white dwarf to a neutron star and/or a neutron star to\na black hole. Some accreting white dwarfs in close binaries may even explode as\nType Ia supernovae. Given the ubiquity of higher-order multiples, the\nevolutionary channels we lay out may be important pathways to gravitational\nmergers, including Type Ia supernovae. Fortunately, these pathways also lead to\ntestable predictions.\n