Pulsar observations with NuSTAR
Abstract
The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) is the first focusing hard X-ray telescope in orbit and ideally suited to study cyclotron lines (CRSFs), due to its good spectral resolution above 10keV and very high signal-to-noise ratio. I will review the results from the first 3 years of NuSTAR observations and describe how NuSTAR contributes to the discovery and detailed study of CRSFs. NuSTAR has discovered a CRSF in KS 1947+319, 4U 1538-22, and 2S 1553-542, increasing the small sample of about 25 known CRSF sources. NuSTAR was also responsible for discovering a luminosity dependence of the CRSF energy in Vela X-1 at very low luminosities, as well as measuring an asymmetric line profile for the first time in Cep X-4. I will conclude with a brief outlook into future NuSTAR observations and plans.
- Publication:
-
AAS/High Energy Astrophysics Division #15
- Pub Date:
- April 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016HEAD...1520107F