a Comparative Study of Sfxts and Long-Period Pulsars
Abstract
Super-giant Fast X-ray Transients (SFXTs), composed of super-giant stars and highly magnetized neutron stars, are characterized by a rather low luminosity in quiescence and very drastic flares. However, these features are also observed, at least to some extent, from other types of HMXBs, including in particular binary pulsars with long pulse periods (>1000 sec). Through wide-band spectroscopy with Suzaku, we aim at a comparison between SFXTs and long-period pulsars, with particular emphasis on the possibility that both have strong magnetic fields. So far, several SFXTs were observed with Suzaku, including IGR J16195-4945 in particular. We re-analyze the archival Suzaku data of this object, obtained on 2006 September 20 for 39 ksec. As reported by Morris et al. (2009), a prominent flare lasting for 10 ksec was recorded in the XIS (1- 10 keV) and HXD (12 - 40 keV) data. We found that the absorbing column density remained the same within ~10 % during the flare. Moreover, the flare was accompanied by weakening or broadening of the fluorescent Fe-K line. These results are inconsistent with the popular SFXT scenario that clumpy stellar winds occur flares. Instead, they prefer an alternative scenario of ``magnetic gating", which assumes the neutron star like magnetars Using Suzaku, we also analyzed the long-period pulsar 4U0114+65 on 2011 July 11 for 100 ksec. The XIS and the HXD detected clear flaring behavior. the known period of ∼10,000 sec which is indicative of strong magnetic field like magnetars was observed. We obtained spectra, with a clear fluorescent Fe-K line, over a very broad (1-100 keV) band From these results, we compare properties of SFXTs and long period pulsars, and discuss their possible relations to magnetars.
- Publication:
-
39th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- July 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012cosp...39.1686S