Complex rotational dynamics of the neutron star in Hercules X-1 revealed by X-ray polarization

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985815%3A_____%2F24%3A00587651" target="_blank" >RIV/67985815:_____/24:00587651 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02295-8" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02295-8</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02295-8" target="_blank" >10.1038/s41550-024-02295-8</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Complex rotational dynamics of the neutron star in Hercules X-1 revealed by X-ray polarization

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

In an accreting X-ray pulsar, a neutron star accretes matter from a companion star through an accretion disk. The magnetic field of the rotating neutron star disrupts the inner edge of the disk, funnelling the gas to flow onto the poles on its surface. Hercules X-1 is a prototypical persistent X-ray pulsar about 7 kpc from Earth. Its emission varies on three distinct timescales: the neutron star rotates every 1.2 s, it is eclipsed by its companion each 1.7 d, and the system exhibits a superorbital period of 35 d, which has remained stable since its discovery. Several lines of evidence point to the source of this variation as the precession of the accretion disk or that of the neutron star. Despite the many hints over the past 50 yr, the precession of the neutron star itself has yet not been confirmed or refuted. X-ray polarization measurements (probing the spin geometry of Her X-1) with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer suggest that free precession of the neutron star crust sets the 35 d period, this has the important implication that its crust is somewhat asymmetric by a few parts per ten million.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Complex rotational dynamics of the neutron star in Hercules X-1 revealed by X-ray polarization

Popis výsledku anglicky

In an accreting X-ray pulsar, a neutron star accretes matter from a companion star through an accretion disk. The magnetic field of the rotating neutron star disrupts the inner edge of the disk, funnelling the gas to flow onto the poles on its surface. Hercules X-1 is a prototypical persistent X-ray pulsar about 7 kpc from Earth. Its emission varies on three distinct timescales: the neutron star rotates every 1.2 s, it is eclipsed by its companion each 1.7 d, and the system exhibits a superorbital period of 35 d, which has remained stable since its discovery. Several lines of evidence point to the source of this variation as the precession of the accretion disk or that of the neutron star. Despite the many hints over the past 50 yr, the precession of the neutron star itself has yet not been confirmed or refuted. X-ray polarization measurements (probing the spin geometry of Her X-1) with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer suggest that free precession of the neutron star crust sets the 35 d period, this has the important implication that its crust is somewhat asymmetric by a few parts per ten million.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

10308 - Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science)

Projekt

—

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2024

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Nature Astronomy

ISSN

2397-3366

e-ISSN

2397-3366

Svazek periodika

8

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

8

Stát vydavatele periodika

US - Spojené státy americké

Počet stran výsledku

12

Strana od-do

1047-1053

Kód UT WoS článku

001250338300002

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-85196307045