The continued spectral and temporal evolution of RX J0720.4-3125

Details The continued spectral and temporal evolution of RX J0720.4-3125 The continued spectral and temporal evolution of RX J0720.4-3125

2012-03-16

arxiv.org/abs/1203.3708v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

seven pages, three figures, three tables; accepted by MNRAS

Scientific paper

RX J0720.4-3125 is the most peculiar object among a group of seven isolated X-ray pulsars (the so-called "Magnificent Seven"), since it shows long-term variations of its spectral and temporal properties on time scales of years. This behaviour was explained by different authors either by free precession (with a seven or fourteen years period) or possibly a glitch that occurred around $\mathrm{MJD=52866\pm73 days}$. We analysed our most recent XMM-Newton and Chandra observations in order to further monitor the behaviour of this neutron star. With the new data sets, the timing behaviour of RX J0720.4-3125 suggests a single (sudden) event (e.g. a glitch) rather than a cyclic pattern as expected by free precession. The spectral parameters changed significantly around the proposed glitch time, but more gradual variations occurred already before the (putative) event. Since $\mathrm{MJD\approx53000 days}$ the spectra indicate a very slow cooling by $\sim$2 eV over 7 years.

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