Spin period change and the magnetic fields of neutron stars in Be X-ray binaries in the Small Magellanic Cloud

Klus, Helen, Ho, Wynn C.G., Coe, Malcolm J., Corbet, Robin H.D. and Townsend, Lee J. (2014) Spin period change and the magnetic fields of neutron stars in Be X-ray binaries in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 437 (4), 3863-3882. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stt2192).

Abstract

We report on the long term average spin period, rate of change of spin period and X-ray luminosity during outbursts for 42 Be X-ray binary systems in the Small Magellanic Cloud. We also collect and calculate parameters of each system and use this data to determine that all systems contain a neutron star which is accreting via a disc, rather than a wind, and that if these neutron stars are near spin equilibrium, then over half of them, including all with spin periods over about 100 seconds, have magnetic fields over the quantum critical level of 4.4x10¹³ G. If these neutron stars are not close to spin equilibrium, then their magnetic fields are inferred to be much lower, on the order of 10^6-10¹⁰ G, comparable to the fields of neutron stars in low mass X-ray binaries. Both results are unexpected and have implications for the rate of magnetic field decay and the isolated neutron star population.

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Contributors

Author: Wynn C.G. Ho

Author: Malcolm J. Coe

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