X-Rays from Radio Millisecond Pulsars: Comptonized Thermal Radiation | Zendy

Slavko Bogdanov | Zendy; J. E. Grindlay | Zendy; G. B. Rybicki | Zendy

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X-Rays from Radio Millisecond Pulsars: Comptonized Thermal Radiation

Author(s) -

Slavko Bogdanov,

J. E. Grindlay,

G. B. Rybicki

Publication year - 2006

Publication title -

the astrophysical journal

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.376

H-Index - 489

eISSN - 1538-4357

pISSN - 0004-637X

DOI - 10.1086/507827

Subject(s) - physics , millisecond pulsar , pulsar , astrophysics , neutron star , magnetosphere , black body radiation , astronomy , pulsar planet , thermal , thermal radiation , electron , radiation , binary pulsar , nuclear physics , plasma , meteorology , thermodynamics

X-ray emission from many rotation-powered millisecond pulsars (MSPs) isobserved to be of predominantly thermal nature. In PSR J0437--4715, the nearestMSP known, an additional faint power-law tail is observed above 2.5 keV,commonly attributed to non-thermal magnetospheric radiation. We propose thatthe hard emission in this and other similar MSPs is instead due to weakComptonization of the thermal (blackbody or hydrogen atmosphere) polar capemission by energetic electrons/positrons of small optical depth in the pulsarmagnetosphere. This spectral model implies that all soft X-rays are of purelythermal origin, which has profound implications in the study of neutron starstructure and fundamental pulsar physics.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letter

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