X-ray views of neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries

TL;DR

This paper reviews the current understanding of X-ray observations of neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries, highlighting their significance in the development of X-ray astronomy and summarizing recent observational insights.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the X-ray observational features of neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries, emphasizing recent advancements and historical context.

Findings

Neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries are key to understanding accretion physics.

X-ray observations have significantly advanced since the 1960s.

These systems are fundamental in the development of X-ray astronomy.

Abstract

A neutron star low-mass X-ray binary is a binary stellar system with a neutron star and a low-mass companion star rotating around each other. In this system the neutron star accretes mass from the companion, and as this matter falls into the deep potential well of the neutron star, the gravitational potential energy is released primarily in the X-ray wavelengths. Such a source was first discovered in X-rays in 1962, and this discovery formally gave birth to the "X-ray astronomy". In the subsequent decades, our knowledge of these sources has increased enormously by the observations with several X-ray space missions. Here we give a brief overview of our current understanding of the X-ray observational aspects of these systems.