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 thecrusts cool down until they are in equilibrium with the cores again. Followingthis cooling processes for several systems has given us new insights in thestructure of neutron stars, but many uncertainties remain. Therefore it isneeded to enlarge our sample of well-studied sources to obtain better insightsin the behavior of how neutron stars react to the accretion of matter. XMM-Nplays a crucial role in the earliest times (<1 yr) of the crust cooling decayand probing the behavior of shallow depths in the crusts.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2017-03-23T05:48:48Z/2017-08-22T06:05:25Z
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, 2018, 'Crust cooling of accretion-heated neutron stars', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-o7t46k0
