The evolution of low-mass X-ray binaries(LMXBs) is considered. It is shown that X-ray irradiation of thecompanion stars causes these systems to undergo episodes of rapid masstransfer followed by detached phases. The systems are visible as brightX-ray binaries only for a short part of each cycle, so that theirspace density must be considerably larger than previously estimated.This removes the difficulty in regarding LMXBs as the progenitors oflow-mass binary pulsars. The low-accretion-rate phase of the cycle withthe soft X-ray transients is identified. It is shown that 3 hr islikely to be the minimum orbital period for LMXBs with main-sequencecompanions and it is suggested that the evolutionary endpoint formany LMXBs may be systems which are the sites of gamma-ray bursts.
CITATION STYLE
Frank, J., King, A. R., & Lasota, J.-P. (1992). Low-mass X-ray binary evolution and the origin of millisecond pulsars. The Astrophysical Journal, 385, L45. https://doi.org/10.1086/186274
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