Galactic Populations of Ultracompact Binaries

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  • 29 July 2003
Abstract
Using the StarTrack population synthesis code the formation and evolution of ultracompact binaries (UCBs) in the Galactic field are analyzed. The relative number of UCBs with a neutron star or a black hole accretor populating our Galaxy is predicted. Our results demonstrate that standard evolutionary scenarios involving primordial binaries may be sufficient to produce the UCBs in the Galactic field without requiring additional processes associated with the dense stellar environments in the cores of globular clusters. We find that the accretion induced collapse of a heavy white dwarf to a neutron star may play an important role in the formation of majority of Galactic UCBs. We predict that with an increase in the number of X-ray active UCBs hosting neutron stars by an order of magnitude, a system with a black hole accretor may be found.

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