Discovery of X-Ray Pulsation from the Geminga-like Pulsar PSR J2021+4026
Abstract
We report the discovery of an X-ray periodicity of ~265.3 ms from a deep XMM-Newton observation of the radio-quiet γ-ray pulsar, PSR J2021+4026, located at the edge of the supernova remnant G78.2+2.1 (γ-Cygni). The detected frequency is consistent with the γ-ray pulsation determined by the observation of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope at the same epoch. The X-ray pulse profile resembles the modulation of a hot spot on the surface of the neutron star. The phase-averaged spectral analysis also suggests that the majority of the observed X-rays have thermal origins. This is the third member in the class of radio-quiet pulsars with significant pulsations detected from both X-ray and γ-ray regimes.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- June 2013
- DOI:
- 10.1088/2041-8205/770/1/L9
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1305.0998
- Bibcode:
- 2013ApJ...770L...9L
- Keywords:
-
- gamma rays: stars;
- ISM: individual objects: G78.2+2.1;
- pulsars: individual: PSR J2021+4026;
- X-rays: stars;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- 14 pages, 1 table, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter