Hydrogen-Poor Disks in Compact X-Ray Binaries
arXiv:astro-ph/0111565 · doi:10.1086/338909
Abstract
We show that accretion disks in several compact X-ray binaries with hydrogen-depleted donors are likely subject to a thermal ionization instability, unless they are strongly irradiated. These disks are particularly interesting in that their MHD-turbulent properties in the neutral phase may be quite different from those of standard, hydrogen-rich disks.
10 pages, accepted for publication in ApJL