1999/04/20 by S. Wellstein, N. Langer, Wellstein, S. +1 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/9904256
16 pages, 6 figures, final version accepted by A&A, no substantial changes
openalex publication_date 1999/04/20 · arxiv created 1999/08/27 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The progenitor evolution of the massive X-ray binary Wray 977 is investigated\nusing new models of massive close binary evolution. These models yield\nconstraints on the mass limit for neutron star/black hole formation in single\nstars, MBH. We argue for quasi-conservative evolution in this system, and we\nfind MBH > 13...21 Msun from the existence of a neutron star in Wray 977,\nwith the uncertainty being due to uncertainties in the treatment of convection.\nOur results revise earlier published much larger values of MBH derived from\nthe parameters of Wray 977. Then, on the basis of a grid of 37 evolutionary\nmodels for massive close binaries with various initial masses, mass ratios and\nperiods, we derive primary initial-final mass, initial mass-final helium core\nmass, and initial mass-final CO-core mass relations for the various mass\ntransfer cases of close binary evolution. From these models we derive for\nsingle stars that MBH =< 25 Msun, independent of whether most black hole\nbinaries formed through the Case A/B or the Case C binary channel. Using our\ngrid of binary models, we obtain a consistent scenario for the formation of\nblack holes in binary systems.\n