Observation of the persistent Be binary pulsars RX J0440.9+4431
Abstract
Many X-ray binary pulsars have a soft excess below 10 keV. For the high luminosity pulsars, the fit of this component with thermal emission models usually provides low temperatures and large emission regions. On the other hand, we recently found that in persistent, low-luminosity and long-period Be pulsars the observed excess can be modeled with a rather hot blackbody component of small area, which can be interpreted as emission from the NS polar caps. We propose to observe the Galactic Be pulsar RX J0440.9+4431, which is a poorly studied member of this class of sources. Our aim is to examine, at an unprecedented sensitivity level, its spectral and timing characteristics, and to test if the description of the other persistent pulsars is applicable also in this case.
- Publication:
-
XMM-Newton Proposal
- Pub Date:
- October 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009xmm..prop..130L
- Keywords:
-
- White Dwarf Binaries;
- Neutron Star Binaries;
- Cataclysmic Variables;
- ULXs;
- Black Holes;
- RX J0440.9+4431