Gamma-ray binaries : a bridge between Be stars and high energy astrophysics

Astrid Lamberts

Published 2014-10-14Version 1

Advances in X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy have opened a new window on our universe and revealed a wide variety of binaries composed of a compact object and a Be star. In Be X-ray binaries, a neutron star accretes the Be disk and truncates it through tidal interactions. Such systems have important X-ray outbursts, some related to the disk structure. In other systems, strong gamma ray emission is observed. In gamma-ray binaries, the neutron star is not accreting but driving a highly relativistic wind. The wind collision region presents similarities to colliding wind binaries composed of massive stars. The high energy emission is coming from particles being accelerated at the relativistic shock. I will review the physics of X-ray and gamma-ray binaries, focusing particularly on the recent developments on gamma-ray binaries. I will describe physical mechanisms such as relativistic hydrodynamics, tidal forces and non thermal emission. I will highlight how high energy astrophysics can shed a new light on Be star physics and vice-versa. A video of the talk can be found at http://activebstars.iag.usp.br/index.php/talk-conference-recordings/bestars-2014-in-london-ontario/session-6/video/astrid-lamberts-interacting-binaries-be-stars-and-high-energy-astrophysics.