scholarly journals Polarized radiation transfer in neutron star surface layers

2020 ◽  
Vol 500 (4) ◽  
pp. 5369-5392
Author(s):  
Joseph A Barchas ◽  
Kun Hu ◽  
Matthew G Baring
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Radiation Transfer ◽  
Strong Dependence ◽  
Stellar Atmospheres ◽  
Stokes Parameters ◽  
Parameter Determination ◽  
Surface Layers ◽  
Analytical Approximations ◽  
Star Surface ◽  
Polarized Radiation

ABSTRACT The study of polarized radiation transfer in the highly magnetized surface locales of neutron stars is of great interest to the understanding of accreting X-ray pulsars, rotation-powered pulsars, and magnetars. This paper explores scattering transport in the classical magnetic Thomson domain that is of broad applicability to these neutron star classes. The development of a Monte Carlo simulation for the polarized radiative transfer is detailed: it employs an electric field vector formalism to enable a breadth of utility in relating linear, circular, and elliptical polarizations. The simulation can be applied to any neutron star surface locale, and is adaptable to accretion column and magnetospheric problems. Validation of the code for both intensity and Stokes parameter determination is illustrated in a variety of ways. Representative results for emergent polarization signals from surface layers are presented for both polar and equatorial magnetic locales, exhibiting contrasting signatures between the two regions. There is also a strong dependence of these characteristics on the ratio of the frequency $\, \omega \,$ of a photon to the cyclotron frequency $\, \omega _{\mathrm{B}}=eB/mc\,$. Polarization signatures for high-opacity domains are presented, highlighting compact analytical approximations for the Stokes parameters and anisotropy relative to the local field direction for an extended range of frequencies. These are very useful in defining injection conditions deep in the simulation slab geometries, expediting the generation of emission signals from highly opaque stellar atmospheres. The results are interpreted throughout using the polarization characteristics of the magnetic Thomson differential cross-section.

Physics of neutron star surface layers and their thermal radiation

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Y. Potekhin ◽  
Ye-Fei Yuan ◽  
Xiang-Dong Li ◽  
Dong Lai
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Thermal Radiation ◽  
Surface Layers ◽  
Star Surface

scholarly journals Modelling of the Magnetic Configuration of CP Stars from Polarimetric Observations

1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 679-681
Author(s):  
M. Landolfi
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Stokes Parameter ◽  
Quadratic Field ◽  
Mean Field ◽  
Longitudinal Component ◽  
Stokes Parameters ◽  
Longitudinal Field ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Magnetic Field ◽  
Polarized Radiation

The observational quantities commonly used to study the magnetic field of CP stars – the mean field modulus and the mean longitudinal field, as well as the ‘mean asymmetry of the longitudinal field’ and the ‘mean quadratic field’ recently introduced by Mathys (1995a,b) – are based either on the Stokes parameter / or on the Stokes parameter V. However, a complete description of polarized radiation requires the knowledge of the full Stokes vector: in other words, we should expect that useful information is also contained in linear polarization (the Stokes parameters Q and U); or rather we should expect the information contained in (Q, U) and in V to be complementary, since linear and circular polarization are basically related to the transverse and the longitudinal component of the magnetic field, respectively.

scholarly journals Discovery of accretion-driven pulsations in the prolonged low X-ray luminosity state of the Be/X-ray transient GX 304–1

2018 ◽  
Vol 620 ◽  
pp. L13 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rouco Escorial ◽  
J. van den Eijnden ◽  
R. Wijnands
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Stable State ◽  
Type I ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Monitoring Campaign ◽  
Spin Period ◽  
One Year ◽  
The Many ◽  
Low X ◽  
Star Surface

We present our Swift monitoring campaign of the slowly rotating neutron star Be/X-ray transient GX 304–1 (spin period of ∼275 s) when the source was not in outburst. We found that between its type I outbursts, the source recurrently exhibits a slowly decaying low-luminosity state (with luminosities of 1034 − 35 erg s−1). This behaviour is very similar to what has been observed for another slowly rotating system, GRO J1008–57. For that source, this low-luminosity state has been explained in terms of accretion from a non-ionised (“cold”) accretion disc. Because of the many similarities between the two systems, we suggest that GX 304–1 enters a similar accretion regime between its outbursts. The outburst activity of GX 304–1 ceased in 2016. Our continued monitoring campaign shows that the source is in a quasi-stable low-luminosity state (with luminosities a few factors lower than previously seen) for at least one year now. Using our NuSTAR observation in this state, we found pulsations at the spin period, demonstrating that the X-ray emission is due to accretion of matter onto the neutron star surface. If the accretion geometry during this quasi-stable state is the same as during the cold-disc state, then matter indeed reaches the surface (as predicted) during this later state. We discuss our results in the context of the cold-disc accretion model.

scholarly journals A model of an ion-proton radio pulsar polar cap

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
P B Jones
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Emission Mechanism ◽  
Polar Cap ◽  
Ion Proton ◽  
S Period ◽  
Basic Equations ◽  
Radio Transients ◽  
Star Surface ◽  
Rotating Radio Transients

Abstract A number of previous papers have developed an ion-proton theory of the pulsar polar cap. The basic equations summarizing this are given here with the results of sets of model step-to-step calculations of pulse-precursor profiles. The nature of step-to-step profile variations is described by calculated phase-resolved modulation indices. The conditions under which nulls are present in step sequences are analysed. The change of mean null length with neutron-star surface temperature shows a pathway ending in emission similar to the Rotating Radio Transients. The model accommodates exceptional pulsars, the millisecond pulsars (in principle), and the 8.5 s period PSR J2144-3933. These are considered separately and their emission mechanism discussed in some detail.

scholarly journals Neutron Star Cooling: Effects of Envelope Physics

1983 ◽  
Vol 101 ◽  
pp. 513-516
Author(s):  
Kenneth A. Van Riper
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Supernova Remnants ◽  
Temperature Drop ◽  
Magnetic Star ◽  
Pion Condensate ◽  
Neutron Star Cooling ◽  
Cooling Mechanism ◽  
Cooling Effects ◽  
Star Surface

Neutron star cooling calculations are reported which employ improved physics in the calculation of the temperature drop through the atmosphere. The atmosphere microphysics is discussed briefly. The predicted neutron star surface temperatures, in the interesting interval 300 ≤ t (yr) ≤ 105, do not differ appreciably from the earlier results of Van Riper and Lamb (1981) for a non-magnetic star; for a magnetic star, the surface temperature is lower than in the previous work. Comparison with observational limits show that an exotic cooling mechanism such as neutrino emission from a pion-condensate or in the presence of percolating quarks, is not required, unless the existence of a neutron star in the Tycho or SN1006 supernova remnants is established.

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