Centrifugal barriers in magnetospheric accretion

Abstract

We reconsider the dynamics of accretion flows onto magnetized central star. For dipolar magnetically aligned case, the centrifugal barrier is at $R_{cb} = (2/3)^{1/3} R_c = 0.87 R_c$, where $R_c= ( G M/\Omega^2)^{1/3}$ is the corotation radius. For oblique dipole direct accretion from the corotation radius $R_c$ is possible only for magnetic obliquity satisfying $\tan \theta_\mu \geq 1/( 2 \sqrt{3}) $ ($\theta_\mu \geq 16.1^\circ $). The accretion proceeds in a form of funnel flows - along two streams centered on the $\mu-\Omega$ plane, with azimuthal opening angle $ \cos (\Delta \phi) = { \cot^ 2 {\theta_\mu} }/{12} $. For the magnetosphere distorted by the diamagnetic disk, the centrifugal barrier can be at as small radius as $R_{cb}= 0.719 R_c$ for the fully confined dipole, extending out to $R_{cb} \sim R_c$ for the magnetically balanced case. Type-II X-ray bursts in accreting neutron stars may be mediated by the centrifugal barrier; this requires nearly aligned configuration. Centrifugally-barriered material trapped in the magnetosphere may lead to periodic obscuration ("dips") in the light curve of the host star, e.g., as observed in accreting young stellar objects and X-ray binaries.