Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 1991
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1991a%26a...241..107t&link_type=abstract
Astronomy and Astrophysics (ISSN 0004-6361), vol. 241, no. 1, Jan. 1991, p. 107-111. Research supported by Ministero dell'Univer
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
102
Neutron Stars, Rosat Mission, Sky Surveys (Astronomy), Stellar Mass Accretion, Brightness Distribution, Emission Spectra, Far Ultraviolet Radiation, Proportional Counters, Stellar Luminosity
Scientific paper
The observability of old isolated neutron stars accreting from the interstellar medium is discussed, considering specifically the position sensitive proportional counter (PSPC) on board of ROSAT. It is found that about 5000 old neutron stars can be detected in the All Sky Survey, and about 2/deg squared in Deep Exposures. Key observational features of old accreting neutron stars are: (1) the weak emission in the far UV and soft X-ray band, (2) the absence of an optical counterpart below mv about 23, (3) a small hydrogen column density (N/H/ less than 10 to the 20th/sq cm), (4) a proper motion of about 0.1 arcsec/yr, and (5) the preferred concentration along the Galactic plane observable in their brightness distribution at the sampling depth (about 400 pc) of the PSPC detection limit. These properties are used to describe a selection procedure and to assess future observational evidence. It is noted that about three old accreting neutron stars may have already been detected with the Einstein satellite, compatible with the number of still unidentified objects.
Colpi Monica
Treves Aldo
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