English

Isolated neutron stars as Science Validation for XMM2ATHENA: Ensuring robust data for future X-ray Astronomy

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena 2024-12-06 v1

Abstract

The discovery of radio-quiet, X-ray thermally emitting isolated neutron stars (XINSs) in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey revealed a previously overlooked component of the neutron star population. Advancements in X-ray instrumentation and the availability of deep, wide-area optical surveys now enable us to explore XINSs at fainter X-ray fluxes and greater distances. In this study, we investigated candidates selected from the 4XMM-DR9 catalogue using XMM-Newton, focusing on long-term flux stability, spectral characterisation, and astrometry. By leveraging resources from the XMM2ATHENA project -- including updated catalogues, multiwavelength characterisation and machine learning classification -- we refined our understanding of this sample of soft X-ray emitters. Our findings enhance the characterisation of XINS candidates, laying the groundwork for more targeted investigations and future catalogue searches.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2412.03870,
  title  = {Isolated neutron stars as Science Validation for XMM2ATHENA: Ensuring robust data for future X-ray Astronomy},
  author = {Adriana Mancini Pires and Christian Motch and Axel Schwope and Iris Traulsen and Jean Ballet and Sudip Chakraborty and David Homan and Jan Kurpas and Ada Nebot Gomez-Moran and Francois-Xavier Pineau and Hugo Tranin and Natalie Webb},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2412.03870},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

7 pages, 3 figures, proceedings of IWARA 2024, 11th International Workshop on Astronomy and Relativistic Astrophysics