Bibcode
Casares, J.
Bibliographical reference
Highlights of Spanish Astrophysics V, Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings. ISBN 978-3-642-11249-2. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2010, p. 3
Advertised on:
2010
Citations
0
Refereed citations
0
Description
X-ray binaries are excellent laboratories to study collapsed objects. On
the one hand, transient X-ray binaries contain the best examples of
stellar-mass black holes while persistent X-ray binaries mostly harbor
accreting neutron stars. The determination of stellar masses in
persistent X-ray binaries is usually hampered by the overwhelming
luminosity of the X-ray heated accretion disc. However, the discovery of
high-excitation emission lines from the irradiated companion star has
opened new routes in the study of compact objects. This paper presents
novel techniques which exploits these irradiated lines and summarizes
the dynamical masses obtained for the two populations of collapsed
stars: neutron stars and black holes.