XMM/EPIC phase-resolved spectroscopy as a tool for understanding X-ray emission from middle-aged neutron stars.
Abstract
Besides Geminga, several other middle-aged X/γ-ray pulsars are available for investigation with XMM-Newton. The unprecedented throughput and spectral grasp of EPIC allows to perform phase-resolved spectroscopy of these objects for the first time. This turns out to be a powerful tool for understanding physical and geometrical properties of thermal surface emission as well as non-thermal magnetospheric emission from such isolated neutron stars. Discriminating comparison with existing pulsar emission models now becomes possible.
- Publication:
-
35th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004cosp...35.3525C