Soft x-ray production by photon scattering in pulsating binary neutron star sources

Journal Article · Tue Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/184549· OSTI ID:6450069

Bussard, R W; Meszaros, P; Alexander, S

A new mechanism is proposed as a source of soft (E/sub s/<1 keV) radiation in binary pulsating X-ray sources, in the form of photon scattering which leaves the electron in an excited Landau level. In a plasma with parameters typical of such sources, the low-energy X-ray emissivity of this mechanism far exceeds that of bremsstrahlung. This copious source of soft photons is quite adequate to provide the seed photons needed to explain the power-law hard X-ray spectrum by inverse Comptonization on the hot electrons at the base of the accretion column.

• Research Organization: Department of Astronomy, The Pennsylvania State University
• OSTI ID: 6450069
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States) Vol. 297:2; ISSN AJLEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics &amp; Cosmology-- Stars &amp; Quasi-Stellar
Radio &amp; X-Ray Sources
640103 -- Astrophysics &amp; Cosmology-- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
&amp; X-Ray Sources-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
BINARY STARS
COMPTON EFFECT
COSMIC PHOTONS
COSMIC RADIATION
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
ELASTIC SCATTERING
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERACTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
INTERACTIONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
NEUTRON STARS
ORIGIN
PHOTONS
PULSATIONS
RADIATIONS
SCATTERING
SOFT X RADIATION
STARS
X RADIATION