DISK LUMINOSITY AND ANGULAR-MOMENTUM FOR ACCRETING, WEAK-FIELD NEUTRON-STARS IN THE SLOW ROTATION APPROXIMATION

For accretion on to neutron stars possessing weak surface magnetic fie lds and substantial rotation rates (corresponding to the secular insta bility limit), we calculate the disk and surface layer luminosities ge neral relativistically using the Hartle & Thorne formalism, and illust rate these quantities for a set of representative neutron star equatio ns of state. We also discuss the related problem of the angular moment um evolution of such neutron stars and give a quantitative estimate fo r this accretion driven change in angular momentum. Rotation always in creases the disk luminosity and reduces the rate of angular momentum e volution. These effects have relevance for observations of low-mass X- ray binaries.