IReNA Online Seminar featuring Adelle Goodwin (Curtin University)

Title: Multi-dimensional modelling of heat flow and type I X-ray bursts on the surface of accreting neutron stars

Abstract: Type I X-ray bursts on the surface of accreting neutron stars are the most frequently observed thermonuclear explosions in the universe. Understanding these explosions and the systems that produce them gives us insight into fundamental physics such as the dense equation of state, nuclear reactions we cannot replicate on Earth, and the influence of strong magnetic and gravitational fields. In this talk I will present a multi-dimensional time-dependent implicit model of the heating, ignition and burning of accreted fuel that powers such X-ray bursts on the surface of accreting neutron stars. The software I present will be publicly available shortly. I will present the first science results modelling the effect that a hotspot on the surface of the neutron star, caused by the channelling of the accreted fuel, has on the ignition location of X-ray bursts.