World Scientific Publishing, International Journal of Modern Physics: Conference Series, (08), p. 108-113, 2012
DOI: 10.1142/s2010194512004485
Full text: Unavailable
A variety of different models for jet formation have been developed over the years (mainly) for black hole systems and young stellar objects. Conclusive observational constraints which would favor one particular mechanism are difficult to obtain. Neutron star X-ray binaries are crucial for advancing our understanding of jet formation in general, building a bridge between the two most studied jet-producing classes of systems: black holes, i.e. non-magnetized, relativistic objects, and young stellar objects, i.e. non-relativistic, magnetized stars. I will briefly review the status of our observational knowledge of jets in neutron star X-ray binaries, with a focus on the parameters which might be involved in the production of jets. I will present recent works and current observational programs aiming to quantify the role of the compact object in the formation of jets in neutron star systems. Finally, I will test a jet model developed for young stellar objects, the X–wind model, on a neutron star system.