Dice Question Streamline Icon: https://streamlinehq.com

Origin of abundance anomalies in Gaia neutron star binary candidates

Identify the physical origin of the abundance anomalies observed in companion stars of neutron star binary candidates detected in Gaia data as reported by El-Badry et al. (2024).

Information Square Streamline Icon: https://streamlinehq.com

Background

The paper discusses using stellar abundance patterns to distinguish formation channels of compact object binaries. While Gaia BH3’s companion shows no anomalies, some Gaia-selected neutron star binary candidates exhibit abundance anomalies whose origin is explicitly stated as uncertain, motivating targeted investigation of pollution, accretion, or other processes.

References

In support of this possibility, some of the neutron star binary candidates identified by \citet{El-Badry2024_nsall} do show abundance anomalies, though their origin is still uncertain.

— On the formation of a $33\,M_{\odot}$ black hole in a low-metallicity binary (2404.13047 - El-Badry, 19 Apr 2024) in Section 6.3 (The possibility of pollution)