Haberl, F., Motch, C., Zavlin, V. E., Reinsch, K. (Klaus), Gaensicke, B. T. (Boris T.), Cropper, Mark, Schwope, A. D. (Axel D.), Turolla, R. and Zane, S. (2004) The isolated neutron star X-ray pulsars RX J0420.0–5022 and RX J0806.4–4123 : new X-ray and optical observations. Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol.424 (No.2). pp. 635-645. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20040440 ISSN 0004-6361.

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Abstract

We report on the analysis of new X-ray data obtained with XMM-Newton and Chandra from two ROSAT-discovered X-ray dim isolated neutron stars (XDINs). RX J0806.4−4123 was observed with XMM-Newton in April 2003, 2.5 years after
the first observation. The EPIC-pn data confirm that this object is an X-ray pulsar with 11.371 s neutron star spin period. The X-ray spectrum is consistent with absorbed black-body emission with a temperature kT = 96 eV and N H = 4 × 10 19 cm −2 without significant changes between the two observations. Four XMM-Newton observations of RX
J0420.0−5022 between December 2002 and July 2003 did not confirm the 22.7 s pulsations originally indicated in ROSAT data, but clearly reveal a 3.453 s period. A fit to the X-ray spectrum using an absorbed black-body model yields kT = 45 eV, the lowest value found from the small group of XDINs and N H = 1.0 × 10 20 cm −2. Including a broad absorption line improves the quality of the spectral fits considerably for both objects and may indicate the presence of absorption features similar to those reported from RBS1223, RX J1605.3+3249 and RX J0720.4−3125. For both targets we derive accurate X-ray positions from the Chandra data and present an optical counterpart candidate for RX J0420.0−5022 with B = 26.6 ± 0.3 mag from VLT imaging.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Neutron stars, X-ray sources, Galactic, Stars -- Magnetic fields, Pulsars
Journal or Publication Title:	Astronomy & Astrophysics
Publisher:	EDP Sciences
ISSN:	0004-6361
Official Date:	September 2004
Dates:	Date Event September 2004 Published
Volume:	Vol.424
Number:	No.2
Page Range:	pp. 635-645
DOI:	10.1051/0004-6361:20040440
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access (Creative Commons)
Funder:	Germany. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften [Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science], Heidenhain-Stiftung

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