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

A multi-observatory database of X-ray pulsars in the Magellanic Clouds
A multi-observatory database of X-ray pulsars in the Magellanic Clouds
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.
0004-6337
220-226
Yang, J.
03ecc588-0dc4-448f-a669-7c7838f6bd46
Laycock, S.G.T.
dcc0a71c-272a-4f58-b4bb-69accffcf485
Drake, J.J.
7d24fa53-9b4c-4e81-9db0-48f2bb9615da
Coe, M.J.
04dfb23b-1456-46a3-9242-5cee983471d5
Fingerman, S.
e4a0d868-5af9-4153-9853-d2392defb96b
Hong, J.
1a7277e4-0e22-4aab-adc5-ff05adc57289
Antoniou, V.
b1f0e581-53b6-450f-9575-3bbb3cf42282
Zezas, A.
f6fb6477-2c0a-4688-9dbd-c53cfa3306fd
Yang, J.
03ecc588-0dc4-448f-a669-7c7838f6bd46
Laycock, S.G.T.
dcc0a71c-272a-4f58-b4bb-69accffcf485
Drake, J.J.
7d24fa53-9b4c-4e81-9db0-48f2bb9615da
Coe, M.J.
04dfb23b-1456-46a3-9242-5cee983471d5
Fingerman, S.
e4a0d868-5af9-4153-9853-d2392defb96b
Hong, J.
1a7277e4-0e22-4aab-adc5-ff05adc57289
Antoniou, V.
b1f0e581-53b6-450f-9575-3bbb3cf42282
Zezas, A.
f6fb6477-2c0a-4688-9dbd-c53cfa3306fd

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).

Record type: Article

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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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 27 November 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 8 March 2017
Published date: March 2017

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 417520
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/417520
ISSN: 0004-6337
PURE UUID: 93aec8a4-fa25-43ab-b8ba-d6efb0dda572
ORCID for M.J. Coe: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0763-8547

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Date deposited: 01 Feb 2018 17:32
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 02:35

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Contributors

Author: J. Yang
Author: S.G.T. Laycock
Author: J.J. Drake
Author: M.J. Coe ORCID iD
Author: S. Fingerman
Author: J. Hong
Author: V. Antoniou
Author: A. Zezas

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