The idea of neutron stars can be traced back to the early 1930s, when Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar discovered that there is no way for a collapsed stellar core with a mass more than 1.4 times the solar mass, M, to hold itself up against gravity once its nuclear fuel is exhausted. This implies that a star left with M › 1.4 M (the Chandrasekhar limit) would keep collapsing and eventually disappear from view.
After the discovery of the neutron by James Chadwick in 1932 scientists speculated on the possible existence of a star composed entirely of neutrons, which would have a radius of the order ofR 3x 105 cm. In view of the peculiar stellar parameters, Lev Landau called these objects “unheimliche Sterne“ (weird stars), expecting that they would never be observed because of their small size and expected low optical luminosity.
Access provided by Autonomous University of Puebla. Download to read the full chapter text
Chapter PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
References
Alpar, M.A., Cheng, A.F., Ruderman, M.A., Shaham, J., 1982, Nature, 300, 728
Aschenbach, B., Brinkmann, W., 1975, A&A, 41, 147
Aschenbach, B., 1998, Nature, 396, 141
Bhattacharya, D., van den Heuvel, E.P.J., 1991, Phys. Rep., 203, 1
Becker, W., Tennant, A., Kanbach, G., et al., 2008, in preparation, submitted to A&A
Becker, W., Hui, C.Y., 2007, A&A, astro-ph/07050119
Becker, W., Hui, C.Y., Aschenbach, B., Iyudin, A., 2007, A&A, astro-ph/0607081
Becker, W., Kramer, M., Jessner, A., et al., 2006, ApJ, 645, 1421
Becker, W., Jessner, A., Kramer, M., et al., 2005, ApJ, 633, 367
Becker, W., Weisskopf, M.C., Tennant, et al., 2004, ApJ, 615, 908
Becker, W., Swartz, D.A., Pavlov, G.G., et al., 2003, ApJ, 594, 798
Becker, W., Aschenbach, B., 2002, in Neutron Stars, Pulsars and Supernova Remnants, eds. W. Becker, H. Lesch, J. Trümper, MPE-Report 278, p. 64, (astro-ph/0208466)
Becker, W., Pavlov, G.G., 2001, in The century of Space Science, eds. J. Bleeker, J. Geiss, M. Huber, Kluwer, Dordrecht, p. 721, astro-ph/0208356
Becker, W., Trümper, J., 1999, A&A, 341, 803
Becker, W., Trümper, J., 1997, A&A, 326, 682
Becker, W., Truemper, J., 1996, A&AS, 120C, 69
Becker, W., Trümper, J., 1993, Nature, 365, 528
Bégin, S., 2006, Thesis, Faculty of Physics, University of British Columbia
Bell, J.F., Bailes, M., Manchester, R.N., Weisberg, J.M., Lyne, A.G., 1995, ApJ, 440, L81
Bell, J., 1977, Ann. NY Acad. Sci., 302, 685
Beskin, V.S., Gurevich, A.V., Istomin, Ya.N., 1993, Physics of the Pulsar Magnetosphere, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, ISBN 0-521-41746-5
Bisnovatyi-Kogan, G.S., Komberg, B.V., 1974, Sov. Astron., 18, 217
Blaschke, D., Glendenning, N.K., Sedrakian, A., 2001, Physics of Neutron Star Interiors, Springer, Berlin, ISBN 3540423400
Bogdanov, S., Grindlay, J.E., Heinke, C.O., et al., 2006, ApJ, 646, 1104
Bowyer, C.S., Byram, E.T., Chubb, T.A., Friedman, H., 1964, Nature, 201, 1307
Cameron, P.B., Rutledge, R.E., Camilo, F., et al., 2007, ApJ, 660, 587
Camilo, F., Ransom, S.C., Halpern, J.P., et al., 2006, Nature, 442, 892
Camilo, F., Rasio, A.F., 2005, in Binary Radio Pulsars, eds. F.A. Rasio, I.H. Stairs, ASP Conf. Ser., 328, p. 147
Camilo, F. et al., 2002, ApJ, 574, L71
Cassam-Chenai, G., Decourchelle, A., Ballet, J., et al., 2004, A&A, 427, 199
Chatterjee, S. et al., 2007, ApJ, 670, 1301
Cheng, K.S., Ho, C., Ruderman, M.A., 1986, ApJ, 300, 500
Cheng, K.S., Ho, C. Ruderman, M.A., 1986, ApJ, 300, 522
Chernyakova, M., et al., 2006, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 367,1201
Chiu, H.Y., Salpeter, E.E., 1964, Phys. Rev. Letters, 12, 413
Cocozza, G., Ferraro, F.R., POssenti, A., et al., 2008, ApJ 679, L105
Cool, A.M., Grindlay, J.E., Krockenberger, M., et al., 1993, ApJ, 410, L103
Cordes, J.M., Lazio, T.J.W., 2002, astro-ph/0207156
Cusumano, G. et al., 2001, A&A, 375, 397
D'Amico, N., Possenti, A., Fici, L., et al., 2002, ApJ, 570, L89
DeLaney, T., Gaensler, B.M., 2006, ApJ, 640, 929
De Luca, A., Caraveo, P.A., Mereghetti, S., et al., 2006, Science, 313, 814
De Luca, A., Caraveo, P.A., Mereghetti, S., et al., 2005, ApJ, 623, 1051
De Luca, A., Mereghetti, S., Caraveo, P.A., 2004, A&A, 418, 625
Dickel, J.R., Carter, L.M., 1998, MdSAI, 69, 845
Elsner, R.F., Heinke, C.O., Lugger, P.M., et al., 2008, submitted to ApJ (astro-ph/08072404)
Fesen, R.A., Pavlov, G.G., Sanwal, D., 2006, ApJ, 636, 848
Gaensler, B.M. et al., 2004, ApJ, 616, 383
Gaensler, B.M., 2004, Adv. Space Res., 33, 645
Gaensler, B.M., Jones, D.H., Stappers, B.W., 2002, ApJ, 580, L137
Giacconi, R., 1974, in X-ray Astronomy, eds R. Giacconi and H. Gursky, R. Reidel, Holland, ISBN 90 277 02950
Giacconi, R., Gursky, H., Paolini, F.R., et al., 1962, Phys. Rev. Lett., 9, 439
Glendenning, N.K., 2001, Compact Stars, Springer, Berlin, ISBN 0387989773
Gold, T., 1968, Nature, 218, 731
Gold, T., 1969, Nature, 221, 25
Gonzalez, M.E. et al., 2006, ApJ, 652, 569
Gonzalez, M.E. et al., 2005, ApJ, 630, 489
Gotthelf, E.V., Halpern, J.P., Seward, F.D., 2005, ApJ, 627, 390
Gotthelf, V.E., Halpern, J., 2007, ApJ, 664, L35
Gotthelf, E.V., Kaspi, V.M., 1998, ApJ, 497, L29
Green D.A., 2006, A Catalogue of Galactic Supernova Remnants (2006 April version), Astrophysics Group, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge
Grindlay, J.E., Camilo, F., Heinke, C.O., et al., 2002, ApJ, 581, 470
Grindlay, J.E., Heinke, C.O., Edmonds, P.D., et al., 2001, ApJ, 563, 53
Gudmundsson, E.H., Pethick, C.J., Epstein, R.I., 1983, ApJ, 272, 286
Halpern, J.P. et al., 2002, Neutron Stars in Supernova Remnants, ASP Conference Series, Vol. 271
Harding, A.K., Muslimov, A.G., 2001, ApJ, 556, 1001
Hwang, U., Kaming, J.M., Badenes, C., et al., 2004, ApJ, 615, L117
Helfand, D.J., Collins, B.F., Gotthelf, E.V, 2003, ApJ, 582, 783
Helfand, D.J., Becker, R.H., 1984, Nature, 307, 215
Hertz, P., Grindlay, J.E, 1983, ApJ, 275, 105
Hessels, J.W.T. et al., 2004, ApJ, 612, 389
Hester, J.J., Mori, K., Burrows, D., et al., 2002, ApJ, 577, 49
Hewish, A., Bell, S.J., Pilkington, J.D.H., et al., 1968, Nature, 217, 709
Hoyle, R.A., Narlikar, J., Wheeler, J.A., 1964, Nature, 203, 914
Huang, H.H., Becker, W., 2007, A&A, 463, L5
Hughes, J.P. et al., 2003, ApJ, 591, L139
Hui, C.Y., Becker, W., 2008, A&A, 486, 485
Hui, C.Y., Becker, W., 2007, A&A, 470, 965
Hui, C.Y., Becker, W., 2007, A&A, 467, 1209
Hui, C.Y., Becker, W., 2006, A&A, 454, 543
Hui, C.Y., Becker, W., 2006, A&A, 457, L33
Hui, C.Y., Becker, W., 2006, A&A., 448, L13
Johnston, H.M., Verbunt, F., 1996, A&A, 312, 80
Kaaret, P. et al., 2001, ApJ, 546, 1159
Kargaltsev, O., Pavlov, G.G., Wong, J.A., 2008, astro-ph/08051041
Kargaltsev, O., Pavlov, G.G., Garmire, G.P., 2007, ApJ, 660, 1413
Kargaltsev, O., Pavlov, G.G., 2007, ApJ, 670, 655
Katsuda, S., Tsunemi, H., Mori, K., 2008, ApJ, 678, L35
Kargaltsev, O., Pavlov, G.G., Garmire, G.P., 2006, ApJ, 646, 1139
Kargaltsev, O., Pavlov, G.G., Garmire, G.P., 2006, ApJ, 636, 406
Kaspi, V.M. et al., 2001, ApJ, 562, L163
Kaspi, V.M., Crawford, F., Manchester, R.N., et al., 1998, ApJ, 503, L161
Kendziorra, E., Staubert, R., Pietsch, W., et al., 1977, ApJ, 217, L93
Kuiper, L., Hermsen, W., Verbunt, F., et al., 2002, ApJ, 577, 917
Large, M.I., Voughan, A.E., Mills, B.Y., 1968, Nature, 220, 340
Lazendic, J.S., Slane, P.O., Gaensler, B.M., et al., 2003, ApJ, 593, L27
Li, X.H., Lu, F.J., Li, T.P., 2005, ApJ, 628, 931
Li, X.H., Lu, F.J., Li, Z., 2008, astroph/07074279
Lommen, A., Donovan, J., Gwinn, C., et al., 2007, ApJ, 657, 436
Lyne, A.G., Brinklow, A., Middleditch, J., et al., 1987, Nature, 328, 399
Malofeev, V.M., Malov, O.I., Teplykh, D.A., V.M., 2006, Chin. J. Astron. Astrophys., 6(2), 68
Manchester, R.N., Hobbs, G.B., Teoh, A., Hobbs, M., 2005, AJ, 129, 1993
Manzali, A., De Luca, A., Caraveo, P.A., 2007, ApJ, 669, 570
McGowan, K.E. et al., 2007, Astrophys. Space Sci., 308, 30
McGowan, K.E. et al., 2006, ApJ, 639, 377
McGowan, K.E. et al., 2003, ApJ, 591, 380
Mereghetti, S., Chiarlone, L., Israel, G.L., et al., 2002, in Neutron Stars, Pulsars and Supernova Remnants, eds. W. Becker, H. Lesch, J. Trümper, MPE-Report 278, p. 29, astro-ph/0205122
Michel, F.C., 1991, Theory of Neutron Star Magnetospheres, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, ISBN 0-226-52331-4
Mignani, R.P., et al., 2005, A&A, 431, 659
Mineo, T., Cusumano, G., Massaro, E., 2004, A&A, 423, 1045
Moffett, D.A., Hankins, T.H., 1996, ApJ, 468, 779
Morrison, P., 1958, Nuovo Cimento, 7, 858
Morrison, P., Olbert, S., Rossi, B., 1954, Phys. Rev., 94, 440
Nasuti, F.P., Mignani, R., Caraveo, P.A., Bignami, G.F., 1997, A&A, 323, 839
Nicastro, L., Cusumano, G., Loehmer, O., et al., 2004, A&A, 413, 1065
Oosterbroek, T., Kennea, J., Much, R., Cordova, F.A., 2004, Nucl. Phys. B (Proc. Suppl.), 132
Ostriker, J.P., Gunn, J.E., 1969, ApJ, 157, 1395
Ö gelman, H., 2005, in The Lives of the Neutron Stars, eds. Alpar, Kiziloglu, van Paradijs, NATO ASI Series, Kluwer, Dordrecht, p. 101
Ö gelman, H., Finley, J.P., Zimmerman, H.U., 1993, Nature, 361, 136
Pacini, F., 1967, Nature, 216, 567
Pacini, F., 1968, Nature, 219, 145
Page, D., 2007, in Lecture Notes on Pulsars and Neutron Stars: 40 Years After the Discovery, eds. W. Becker, Springer, Berlin
Page, D., Reddy, S., 2006, ARoNucPS, 56, 1, p. 327
Pavlov, G.G., Kargaltsev, O., Wong, J.A., et al., 2008, astro-ph/08030761
Pavlov, G.G., Kargaltsev, O., Brisken, W.F., 2008, ApJ, 675, 683
Pavlov, G.G. et al., 2007, ApJ, 664, 1072
Pavlov, G.G., Teter, M.A., Kargaltsev, O., et al., 2003, ApJ, 591, 1157
Pavlov, G.G. et al., 2001, ApJ, 552, L219
Petre, R., Kuntz, K.D., Shelton, R.L., 2002, ApJ, 579, 404
Petre, R., Canizares, C.R., Kriss, G.A., Winkler, P.F., Jr., 1982, ApJ, 258, 22
Pfeffermann, E., Aschenbach, B., 1996, in Roentgenstrahlung from the Universe, eds. H.H. Zimmermann, J. Trümper, H. Yorke, MPE Rep. 263, p. 267
Pivovareff, M.J., Kaspi, V.M., Gotthelf, E.V., 2000, ApJ, 528, 436
Pooley, D., Lewin, W.H.G., Homer, L., et al., 2002, 569, 405
Possenti, A. et al., 2002, AÖ A, 387, 993
Rasio, F.A., Pfahl, E.D., Rappaport, S., 2000, ApJ, 532, 47
Roberts, M.S.E., et al., 2003, ApJ, 588, 992
Roberts, M.S.E., Romani, R.W., Johnston, S., 2001, ApJ, 561, L187
Ruderman, M., Sutherland, P.G., 1975, ApJ, 196, 51
Saito, Y., 1998, PhD Thesis, University of Tokyo (S98)
Safi-Harb, S., Kumar, H.S., 2008, ApJ, 684, 532
Seward, F.D., Slane, P.O., Smith, R.K., Sun, M., 2003, ApJ, 584, 414
Seward, F.D., Wang Z.R., 1988, ApJ, 332, 199
Shibata S., Tomatsuri H., Shimanuki M., et al., 2003, MNRAS, 346, 841
Slane, P. et al., 2004, ApJ, 616, 403
Staelin, D.H., Reifenstein, III, E.C., 1968, Science, 162, 1481
Stappers, B.W., Gaensler, B.M., Kaspi, V.M., et al., 2003, Science, 299, 1372
Tananbaum, H., 1999, IAU Circ. #7246
Tananbaum, H., Gursky, H., Kellogg, E.M., et al., 1972, ApJ, 174, L143
Tennant, A.F., Becker, W., Juda, et al., 2001, ApJ, 554, L173
Torii, K., et al., 2001, ApJ, 551, L151
Torii, K., Kinugasa, K., Toneri, T., et al., 1998, ApJ, 494, L207
Trümper, J.E., Pietsch, W., Reppin, C., et al., 1978, ApJ, 219, L105
Tsuruta S., 1998, Phys. Rep., 292, 1
Tuohy, I.R., Garmire, G.P., 1980, ApJ, 239, L107
Verbunt, F. 2001, A& A, 368, 137
Webb, N.A. et al., 2004, A&A, 419, 269
Webb, N.A., Olive, J.-F., Barret, D., 2004, A&A 417, 181
Weber, F. 1999, Pulsars as Astrophysical Laboratories for Nuclear and Particle Physics, Institute of Physics, ISBN 0-7503-0332-8
Weisskopf, M.C., Hester, J.J., Tennant, A.F., et al. 2000, ApJ, 536, L81
Wijnand, R., 2005, in Nova Science Publishers: Pulsars New Research, astro-ph/0501264
Willingale, R., Aschenbach, B., Griffiths, R.G., et al., 2001, A&A, 365, L212
Woods, P.M., Thompson, C., 2006, in Compact Stellar X-Ray Sources, eds W. Lewin, M. van der Klis, pp. 547–586, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, ISBN 978-0-521-82659-4, astro-ph/0406133
Yakovlev, D.G., Pethick, C.J., 2004, Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 42, 169
Yakovlev, D.G., Levenfish, K.P., Shibanov, Yu.A., 1999, Phys. Usp., 169, 825
Zavlin, V.E., 2007, ApJ, 665, L143
Zavlin, V.E., 2007, in Astrophysics and Space Science, eds. D. Page, R. Turolla, S. Zane, 308, 297
Zavlin, V.E., 2006, ApJ, 638, 951
Zavlin, V.E., Pavlov, G.G., 2004, ApJ, 616, 452
Zavlin, V.E., Pavlov, G.G., Sanwal, D., Trümper, J., ApJ, 540, L25
Zhang, B., Sanwal, D., Pavlov, G.G., 2005, ApJ, 624, L109
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Becker, W. (2009). X-Ray Emission from Pulsars and Neutron Stars. In: Becker, W. (eds) Neutron Stars and Pulsars. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 357. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-76965-1_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-76965-1_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-76964-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-76965-1
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)