A multi-observatory database of X-ray pulsars in the Magellanic Clouds

Yang, J., Laycock, S.G.T., Drake, J.J., Coe, M.J., Fingerman, S., Hong, J., Antoniou, V. and Zezas, A. (2017) A multi-observatory database of X-ray pulsars in the Magellanic Clouds. Astronomische Nachrichten, 338 (2-3), 220-226. (doi:10.1002/asna.201713334).

Abstract

Using hundreds of XMM-Newton and Chandra archival observations and nearly a thousand RXTE observations, we have generated a comprehensive library of the known pulsars in the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds (SMC and LMC). The pulsars are detected multiple times across the full parameter spaces of X-ray luminosity (LX = 1031 − 38 erg s− 1) and spin period (P < 1 s to P > 1,000 s), and the library enables time-domain studies at a range of energy scales. The high time resolution and sensitivity of the European Photon Imaging cameras are complemented by the angular resolution of Chandra and the regular monitoring of RXTE. Our processing pipeline uses the latest calibration files and software to generate a suite of useful products for each pulsar detection: event lists, high-time-resolution light curves, periodograms, spectra, and complete histories of math formula, the pulsed fraction, and so on, in the broad (0.2–12 keV), soft (0.2–2 keV), and hard (2–12 keV) energy bands. After combining the observations from these telescopes, we found that 27 pulsars show long-term spin up and 24 long-term spin down. We also used the faintest and brightest sources to map out the lower and upper boundaries of accretion-powered X-ray emission: the propeller line and the Eddington line, respectively. We are in the process of comparing the observed pulse profiles to geometric models of X-ray emission in order to constrain the physical parameters of the pulsars. Finally, we are preparing a public release of the library so that it can be used by others in the astronomical community.

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Contributors

Author: M.J. Coe

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