Evolution of Massive Main-Sequence Stars in Binary Population Synthesis. II. Consequences for Black Hole High-Mass X-ray Binaries and Binary Black Holes
Abstract
Interactions and mass loss during the main-sequence (MS) phase of massive binary stars can significantly alter their subsequent evolution and the properties of the black holes (BHs) they ultimately produce. We use the rapid binary population synthesis code \textsc{COMPAS}, incorporating a new treatment of MS evolution that self-consistently tracks the convective core under arbitrary mass-loss or mass-gain histories. We explore the properties of black hole high-mass X-ray binaries (BH-HMXBs) and binary black holes (BBHs) formed under this new framework. We find that a more detailed treatment of MS evolution is necessary to reproduce the high BH masses observed in BH-HMXBs, which are otherwise absent under prescriptions that do not take the internal structure of MS stars into account. Matching the observed rates and orbital periods favors case A mass transfer that is more non-conservative than commonly assumed. We further find that mass transfer of helium-enriched material during case A mass transfer is common in massive binaries, with potential consequences for the structure of the accreting star. For the BBH population, the new MS framework alters the chirp-mass and mass-ratio distributions of detectable mergers, and case A mass transfer can make a substantial contribution to the BBHs formed through the stable mass transfer channel. These systems show a strong preference for near-equal mass ratios, broadly consistent with recent constraints from gravitational-wave observations.
Related
- Population synthesis of low-mass binaries with wind-accreting neutron stars
- The scarcity of white dwarf-brown dwarf binaries in the solar neighbourhood: A population synthesis study
- Natal Kicks of Compact Binaries: I. Population Synthesis Framework and Illustrative Examples
- Population demographics of post-interaction WDMS binaries: From common envelope evolution to stable mass transfer
- Neutron star-companion interaction in core-collapse supernovae. Population synthesis based on detailed binary evolution models
BibTeX
@misc{brcek2026evolution,
title = {{Evolution of Massive Main-Sequence Stars in Binary Population Synthesis. II. Consequences for Black Hole High-Mass X-ray Binaries and Binary Black Holes}},
author = {Adam Brček and Ryosuke Hirai and Ilya Mandel and Jack Yutong Chen},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.27186},
eprint = {2610.27186},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.27186},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Evolution of Massive Main-Sequence Stars in Binary Population Synthesis. II. Consequences for Black Hole High-Mass X-ray Binaries and Binary Black Holes
AU - Adam Brček
AU - Ryosuke Hirai
AU - Ilya Mandel
AU - Jack Yutong Chen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.27186
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.27186
AB - Interactions and mass loss during the main-sequence (MS) phase of massive binary stars can significantly alter their subsequent evolution and the properties of the black holes (BHs) they ultimately produce. We use the rapid binary population synthesis code \textsc{COMPAS}, incorporating a new treatment of MS evolution that self-consistently tracks the convective core under arbitrary mass-loss or mass-gain histories. We explore the properties of black hole high-mass X-ray binaries (BH-HMXBs) and binary black holes (BBHs) formed under this new framework. We find that a more detailed treatment of MS evolution is necessary to reproduce the high BH masses observed in BH-HMXBs, which are otherwise absent under prescriptions that do not take the internal structure of MS stars into account. Matching the observed rates and orbital periods favors case A mass transfer that is more non-conservative than commonly assumed. We further find that mass transfer of helium-enriched material during case A mass transfer is common in massive binaries, with potential consequences for the structure of the accreting star. For the BBH population, the new MS framework alters the chirp-mass and mass-ratio distributions of detectable mergers, and case A mass transfer can make a substantial contribution to the BBHs formed through the stable mass transfer channel. These systems show a strong preference for near-equal mass ratios, broadly consistent with recent constraints from gravitational-wave observations.
ER -