On Pulsar-Driven Mass Ejection in Low-Mass X-ray Binaries

TL;DR

This paper investigates the conditions under which pulsar activity can cause mass ejection in low-mass X-ray binaries, analyzing the critical pulsar spin period and system parameters to understand ejection mechanisms.

Contribution

It introduces a model comparing radiation and gas pressure to determine when pulsar-driven mass ejection occurs in LMXBs, providing new constraints on system parameters.

Findings

Mass ejection can occur in both wide and compact LMXBs.

Critical pulsar spin period determines ejection feasibility.

Ejection mechanisms include thermal instability and irradiation-driven cycles.

Abstract

There is accumulating evidence for mass ejection in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) driven by radio pulsar activity during X-ray quiescence. In this paper we consider the condition for mass ejection by comparing the radiation pressure from a millisecond pulsar, and the gas pressure at the inner Lagrange point or at the surrounding accretion disk. We calculate the critical spin period of the pulsar below which mass ejection is allowed. Combining with the evolution of the mass transfer rate, we present constraints on the orbital periods of the systems. We show that mass ejection could happen in both wide and compact LMXBs. It may be caused by transient accretion due to thermal instability in the accretion disks in the former, and irradiation-driven mass-transfer cycles in the latter.