Importance of Compton scattering for radiation spectra of isolated neutron stars with weak magnetic fields

Emergent model spectra of neutron star atmospheres are widely used to fit the observed soft X-ray spectra of different types of isolated neutron stars. We investigate the effect of Compton scattering on the emergent spectra of hot (T_eff > 10^6 K) isolated neutron stars with weak magnetic fields. In order to compute model atmospheres in hydrostatic and radiative equilibrium we solve the radiation transfer equation with the Kompaneets operator. We calculate a set of models with effective temperatures in the range 1 - 5 * 10^6 K, with two values of surface gravity (log g = 13.9 and 14.3) and different chemical compositions. Radiation spectra computed with Compton scattering are softer than those computed without Compton scattering at high energies (E > 5 keV) for light elements (H or He) model atmospheres. The Compton effect is more significant in H model atmospheres and models with low surface gravity. The emergent spectra of the hottest (T_eff > 3 * 10^6 K) model atmospheres can be described by diluted blackbody spectra with hardness factors ~ 1.6 - 1.9. Compton scattering is less important in models with solar abundance of heavy elements.