Phase-Resolved Spectroscopy of Geminga Shows Rotating Hot Spot(s)

Authors :: A. Pellizzoni
A. De Luca
P. A. Caraveo
Sandro Mereghetti
Giovanni F. Bignami
Source :: Science. 305:376-379
Publication Year :: 2004
Publisher :: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2004.
Abstract: Isolated neutron stars are seen in x-rays through their nonthermal and/or surface thermal emissions. XMM-Newton observations of the Geminga pulsar show a 43 electron volt spectrum from the whole neutron star surface, as well as a power-law component above 2 kiloelectron volts. In addition, we have detected a hot (170 electron volts) thermal emission from an 60-meter-radius spot on the pulsar s surface. Such a thermal emission, only visible at selected phase intervals, may be coming from polar hot spot(s), long thought to exist as a result of heating from magnetospheric accelerated particles. It may provide the missing link between the x-ray and gamma-ray emission of the pulsar.<br />Comment: Published in Science, 16 July 2004