We propose to continue our program to use the crust cooling behavior intransiently accreting neutron stars. Those crusts are heated due to the matteraccretion onto the neutron stars during outbursts. After the outbursts are overthe crusts cool down until they are in equilibrium with the cores again.Following this cooling processes for several systems has given us new insightsin the structure of neutron stars, but many uncertainties remain. Therefore itis needed to enlarge our sample of well-studied sources to obtain betterinsights in the behavior of how neutron stars react to the accretion of matter.XMM-N plays a crucial role in the earlier phase (<1 yr) of the crust coolingdecay and probing the behavior of shallow depths in the crusts.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2016-04-24T18:20:03Z/2016-08-23T07:39:26Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Dr Rudy Wijnands, 2017, 'Crust cooling of accretion-heated neutron stars', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-jjdudxs
