Issue |
A&A
Volume 498, Number 1, April IV 2009
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 217 - 222 | |
Section | Stellar structure and evolution | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/200811087 | |
Published online | 05 March 2009 |
Pulsed thermal emission from the accreting pulsar XMMU J054134.7-682550*
1
ISDC Data Center for Astrophysics, Chemin d'Ecogia 16, 1290 Versoix, Switzerland e-mail: Antonios.Manousakis@unige.ch
2
Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, Chemin des Maillettes 51, 1290 Versoix, Switzerland
3
Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742-2421, USA
Received:
3
October
2008
Accepted:
2
February
2009
Aims. Soft X-ray excesses have been detected in several Be/X-ray binaries and interpreted as the signature of hard X-ray reprocessing in the inner accretion disk. The system XMMU J054134.7-682550, located in the LMC, featured a giant Type II outburst in August 2007. The geometry of this system can be understood by studying the response of the soft excess emission to the hard X-ray pulses.
Methods. We have analyzed series of simultaneous observations obtained with XMM-Newton/EPIC-MOS and RXTE/PCA in order to derive spectral and temporal characteristics of the system, before, during and after the giant outburst. Spectral fits were performed and a timing analysis has been carried out. Spectral variability, spin period evolution and energy dependent pulse shapes are analysed.
Results. The outburst spectrum could be modeled successfully using a cutoff powerlaw, a cold disk emission, a hot blackbody, and a cyclotron absorption line. The magnetic field and magnetospheric radius could be constrained. The thickness of the inner accretion disk is broadened to a width of 75 km. The hot blackbody component features sinusoidal modulations indicating that the bulk of the hard X-ray emission is emitted preferentially along the magnetic equator. The spin period of the pulsar decreased very significantly during the outburst. This is consistent with
a variety of neutron star equations of state and indicates a very high accretion rate.
Key words: X-rays: binaries / stars: emission-line, Be / accretion, accretion disks / Magelanic Clouds
© ESO, 2009
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