Research Profile:
My research interests focus primarily on accretion driven
processes in galactic binary systems, i.e. the cataclysmic variables and X-ray
binaries. These systems consist of a compact object like a white dwarf, neutron
star or black hole that accretes matter from a main sequence companion star.
The accreted gas will release enormous amounts of energy on the surface of a
compact object or in its vicinity, if the compact object is a black hole. This
accretion of matter (gas) by a compact object is the driving force behind
processes like novae, as well as the powerful flares seen from x-ray binary
systems. Accretion power is also the driving force behind the radio jets seen
from the micro quasars, i.e. galactic x-ray binaries with a compact object
which is most probably a few stellar mass black hole. My research focuses on
the study accretion driven mhd and fluid dynamical processes in the vicinity of
accretion driven compact objects, resulting in the energetic thermal and
non-thermal outbursts from these systems.
I am also interested in the evolution of binary systems. The
evolution of the secondary star in a binary system influences the mass transfer
to the compact object and it has a dramatic effect on the spin evolution of the
rotating compact object. The spin evolution in turn influences the mass
accretion ability of the compact object from a accretion disc. Accretion discs
play a very important role in the production of energetic outbursts and mass
outflow (jets) from these systems and need to be studied intensively.
Selected Publications:
- Meintjes, P.J., Raubenheimer, B.C., De Jager, O.C., Brink, C.,
Nel, H.I., North, A.R., Van Urk, G., Visser, B. 1992 AE Aquarii: An Emitter of
Pulsed TeV Gamma-Rays Resembling Optical Emission During Flares, Astrophys. J.,
401, 325-335 - de Jager, O.C., Meintjes, P.J., O' Donoghue, Robinson, E. 1994,
The detection of a Brake in the Magnetic Cataclysmic Variable AE Aquarii,
MNRAS, 267, 577-588 - De Jager, O.C., Meintjes, P.J., 1993, Short Optical Bursts and
Acceleration to TeV Energies in AE Aquarii, Astron. Astrophys, 268,L1-L4 - Meintjes. P.J., De Jager, O.C., Raubenheimer, B.C., Brink, C.,
Nel, H.I., North, A.R., Visser, B. 1994, Simultaneous optical and TeV gamma-ray
observations of the cataclysmic variable AE Aquarii, Astrophys. J.,434, 292-305 - Meintjes, P.J., Kanbach G. 1994, Gamma-ray production in the
winds of Wolf Rayet stars, in Currents in High Energy Astrophysics, NATO ASI
Series, Vol. 395, eds. M. Shapiro, J.P. Wefel, p. 31-37 - Meintjes, P.J. , De Jager, O.C., 2000, Propeller Spindown and
Non-Thermal Emission from AE Aquarii, MNRAS, 311, p 611-620. - Meintjes, P.J. 2002, AE Aquarii, the milli-second pulsar of the
cataclysmic variables, Proc. of the Pulsar studies in Africa workshop
(HartRao), African Skies/Ciex Africaine nr. 7 (May 2002), eds. C.S. Flanagan,
F.A.M. Frescura, B. Woerman, p. 5-8 - Calitz, J.J., Meintjes, P.J. 2002, Spin-up, Spin down and
non-thermal emission from compact objects., Proc. of the Pulsar studies in
Africa workshop (HartRao), African Skies/Ciex Africaine nr. 7 (May 2002), eds.
C.S. Flanagan, F.A.M. Frescura, B. Woerman, p. 2-4