On the X-Ray Spectra of Anomalous X-Ray Pulsars and Soft Gamma Repeaters
- Creators
- Kaspi, V. M.
- Boydstun, K.
Abstract
We revisit the apparent correlation between soft X-ray band photon index and spin-down rate ύ previously reported for Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs) and Soft Gamma Repeaters (SGRs) by Marsden & White. Our analysis, improved thanks to new source discoveries, better spectral parameter measurements in previously known sources, and the requirement of source quiescence for parameter inclusion, shows evidence for the previously noted trend, although with greater scatter. This trend supports the twisted magnetosphere model of magnetars although the scatter suggests that factors other than ύ are also important.We also note possible correlations involving the spectra of AXPs and SGRs in the hard X-ray band. Specifically, the hard-band photon index shows a possible correlation with inferred ύ and B, as does the degree of spectral turnover. If the former trend is correct, then the hard-band photon index for AXP 1E 1048.1 − 5937 should be ∼0–1. This may be testable with long integrations by the International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory, or by the upcoming focusing hard X-ray mission NuSTAR.
Additional Information
© 2010 The American Astronomical Society. Issue 2 (2010 February 20). Received 2009 August 10, accepted for publication 2010 January 14. Published 2010 January 29. We thank A. Beloborodov, D. Eichler, M. Livingstone, and C. Thompson for useful conversations. We thank Caltech for its hospitality and support via a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (K.B.) and a Moore Scholarship (V.M.K.). V.M.K. receives additional support from NSERC, FQRNT, CIFAR, and holds a Canada Research Chair and the Lorne Trottier Chair in Astrophysics and Cosmology.Attached Files
Published - Kaspi2010p7406Astrophys_J_Lett.pdf
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Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 17943
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20100412-114303217
- Caltech Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
- Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT)
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR)
- Created
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2010-04-12Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2021-11-08Created from EPrint's last_modified field
- Caltech groups
- TAPIR