We propose to continue our highly successful coverage of the cooling neutronstar in MAXI J0556-332, which was strongly heated during a near/super-Eddingtonoutburst in 2011/12 and again during a smaller outburst in 2016. Our quiescentobservations, which revealed an extraordinarily hot and rapidly cooling neutronstar, have provided unique insights into neutron-star structure and inparticular into the nature of heat sources in the shallow outer crust. Recentobservations suggest that the ongoing cooling trend is now dominated by heatinduced during the first outburst in deeper crustal layers. We request a 106 ksXMM-Newton observation to investigate if the remarkable properties of the outercrust extend to deeper layers where matter reaches nuclear density.
Instrument
RGS1, EPN, RGS2, EMOS1, OM, EMOS2
Temporal Coverage
2019-02-11T05:30:15Z/2019-02-12T12:00:15Z
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 Jeroen Homan, 2020, 'Cooling of the super-heated neutron star in MAXI J0556-332', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-d0xcdv9
