Abstract Details

Name: Rwitika Chatterjee
Affiliation: U R Rao Satellite Center
Conference ID: ASI2021_488
Title : Spectral and temporal analysis of magnetar CXOU J010043.1-721134 from long-term XMM-Newton observations
Authors and Co-Authors : Rwitika Chatterjee (U R Rao Satellite Center), Vivek K Agrawal (U R Rao Satellite Center) and Anuj Nandi (U R Rao Satellite Center)
Abstract Type : Poster
Abstract Category : Extragalactic Astronomy
Abstract : Magnetars are very young, usually isolated neutron stars powered by the decay of their ultrastrong magnetic fields (1e14-1e15 G). These objects are characterised by their long (few-second) pulse periods and unusually soft X-ray spectra. Magnetars exhibit a variety of transient radiative behaviour such as outbursts, glitches and flares. CXOU J010043.1-721134, located in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), is one of the only 24 confirmed magnetars till date, and from which no bursting activities have yet been observed. We have done an in-depth temporal and spectral analysis on archival XMM-Newton data of this magnetar, taken between 2000 and 2016. We have calculated its revised pulse-period (8.028 s), spin-down rate (1.75e-11 s s^-1) and dipolar magnetic field strength (~ 3.8e14 G) from long-term observations. Based on its pulse profile in soft (0.3-1.3 keV) and hard (1.3-8 keV) energy bands, we propose that two-component models, which are traditionally used to fit magnetar spectra, are incapable of explaining the observed emission properties. Detailed spectral analysis reveals a thermal Comptonization model as the best-fit model for this magnetar, with a cool (kT_e ~ 0.7 keV), optically thick (tau ~ 19.2) plasma as the Comptonizing medium for thermal seed photons from the surface. We also propose a simplistic coupled hot-spot model to describe its emission.