Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2008-01-21
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
4 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in A&A Letters. To be published in parallel to Caballero et al. 2008
Scientific paper
10.1051/0004-6361:20079277
We argue that X-ray flaring variability observed in the transient X-ray pulsar A 0535+26 is due to low-mode magnetospheric instability. This instability develops at the onset of accretion, in the thin boundary layer between the accretion disk and neutron star magnetosphere. As a result, the matter collected in the boundary layer can rapidly fall onto the NS surface close to the magnetic poles, but not exactly along the field lines by which the stationary accretion proceeds. This explains the shift in cyclotron line energy measured using RXTE data in a pre-outburst spike, with respect to the line energy observed during the main outburst. Furthermore, the instability can account for the difference in pulse profiles, and their energy evolution that is different in the pre-outburst flare and main outburst.
Caballero Isabel
Klochkov Dmitry
Kretschmar Peter
Postnov Konstantin
Santangelo Andrea
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