Radial oscillations of a radiation-supported levitating shell in Eddington luminosity neutron stars

TL;DR

This paper investigates the radial oscillation frequencies of radiation-supported shells around neutron stars near the Eddington luminosity, revealing that radiation drag overdamps these oscillations in optically thin conditions.

Contribution

It provides a calculation of the radial oscillation frequency of a thin, radiation-supported shell in a relativistic setting, highlighting the damping effect of radiation drag.

Findings

Oscillation frequency calculated for radiation-supported shells.

Radiation drag causes overdamping of the radial mode in optically thin cases.

Insights into the stability of atmospheres near Eddington luminosity.

Abstract

In general relativity, it has been shown that radiation-supported atmospheres exist outside the surface of a radiating spherical body close to a radius where the gravitational and radiative forces balance each other. We calculate the frequency of oscillation of the incompressible radial mode of such a thin atmospheric shell and show that in the optically thin case, this particular mode is overdamped by radiation drag.