A Study of the Magnetic Fields of Accreting X-Ray Pulsars with the RXTE

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Neutron stars exhibit some of the strongest magnetic fields known in the universe, more than 1012 Gauss (108 Tesla). If a neutron star with such a field is accreting, then the infalling material is channeled to the magnetic polar axes. Any offset in the magnetic and spin axes gives rise to X-ray pulsations. The transverse energies of the electrons trapped in these fields are quantized in Landau levels, and by resonant scattering these electrons can create harmonically spaced absorption-like spectral features (or Cyclotron Resonant Scattering Features, CRSFs) in the 2--200 keV range. The central energy of a CRSF is given by Ec = 11.6 B12 (1 + z)-1, where z is the gravitational redshift and B12 the magnetic field in the scattering region in units of 1012 G. Thus these features give a direct measure of the pulsar magnetic field. Additionally, the depth, profile, and harmonic content of these features are probes of the scattering geometry and X-ray emission processes at the pulsar polar caps. With its large area and broad energy range, RXTE is an outstanding platform for the study of CRSFs. RXTE observations have revealed new CRSFs in the well known pulsars Cen X-3, 4U 1626-67, and 4U 0352+309, along with the first observation of more than 2 harmonics in a single source -- in the Be-binary 4U 0115+63. In addition to these sources I have studied the known CRSFs in Her X-1, Vela X-1, 4U 1538-52, 4U 1907+09, and GX 301-2. I will report the observed CRSF properties of several sources, including energies, widths, depths, and behavior with pulse phase. With 9 objects observed in detail, I will also discuss some class generalizations and their implications for the conditions at the pulsar magnetic polar caps. Lastly, I will present results on the searches for CRSFs in the X-ray spectra of other accreting pulsars, including null results and upper limits.

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