Black holes in X-ray binaries - Marginal existence and rotation reversals of accretion disks

Abstract

The physical properties of the astronomical compact objects are explored on a theoretical and observational basis in a textbook designed for a one-semester beginning-graduate-level astrophysics course. Overlapping topics from solid-state, nuclear, and particle physics, relativity theory, and hydrodynamics are considered. Subjects discussed include star deaths and the formation of the compact objects, the cold equation of state below and above neutron dip, white dwarfs and their cooling, perturbations of fluid configurations, rotation and magnetic fields, pulsars, compact X-ray sources, accretion onto compact objects, gravitational radiation, supermassive stars, stellar collapse, and supernova explosions.