Pith. sign in

REVIEW 4 cited by

X-ray polarimetry of X-ray pulsar X Persei: another orthogonal rotator?

Not yet reviewed by Pith; the record is open.

This paper has not been read by Pith yet. Machine review is queued; the pith claim, tier, and objections will appear here once it completes.

SPECIMEN: schema-true, not a live event

T0 review · schema-true

One-sentence machine reading of the paper's core claim.

pith:XXXXXXXX · record.json · timestamp

arxiv 2303.17325 v1 pith:SX42F7IY submitted 2023-03-30 astro-ph.HE astro-ph.SR

classification astro-ph.HEastro-ph.SR
keywords x-raypolarizationpulsarangleperseiinclinationmagneticrotation
verification ladder T0 review T1 audit T2 compute T3 formal
0 comments
abstract

X Persei is a persistent low-luminosity X-ray pulsar of period of $\sim$835 s in a Be binary system. The field strength at the neutron star surface is not known precisely, but indirect signs indicate a magnetic field above $10^{13}$ G, which makes the object one of the most magnetized known X-ray pulsars. Here we present the results of observations X Persei performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). The X-ray polarization signal was found to be strongly dependent on the spin phase of the pulsar. The energy-averaged polarization degree in 3-8 keV band varied from several to $\sim$20 per cent over the pulse with a positive correlation with the pulsed X-ray flux. The polarization angle shows significant variation and makes two complete revolutions during the pulse period resulting in nearly nil pulse-phase averaged polarization. Applying the rotating vector model to the IXPE data we obtain the estimates for the rotation axis inclination and its position angle on the sky as well as for the magnetic obliquity. The derived inclination is close to the orbital inclination reported earlier for X Persei. The polarimetric data imply a large angle between the rotation and magnetic dipole axes, which is similar to the result reported recently for the X-ray pulsar GRO J1008$-$57. After eliminating the effect of polarization angle rotation over the pulsar phase using the best-fitting rotating vector model, the strong dependence of the polarization degree with energy was discovered with its value increasing from 0% at $\sim$2 keV to 30% at 8 keV.

Discussion (0). Continue with ORCID to comment.

Forward citations

Cited by 4 Pith papers

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score. Full citation record

  1. Real-time observations of the transition to the quiescent state in an accreting magnetised neutron star: No propeller required?

    astro-ph.HE 2026-08 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

    First high-cadence observation of an X-ray pulsar transition to quiescence shows a gradual exponential fade consistent with the disc instability model, without requiring the propeller effect.

  2. Why do massive stars form bow shocks? Bulk ISM motion as the main driver of bow shock formation and geometry

    astro-ph.SR 2026-08 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

    Bulk interstellar gas motion, not stellar motion, dominates most massive star bow shocks; only about 21% are classical aligned bow shocks.

  3. Physics of Strong Magnetism with eXTP

    astro-ph.HE 2025-06 unverdicted novelty 3.0 of 10

    The eXTP mission's planned instruments would enable more sensitive X-ray polarization and timing observations of magnetars and accreting pulsars, potentially testing vacuum birefringence and probing magnetic field structures.

  4. X-Ray Views of Galactic Accreting Pulsars in High-Mass X-Ray Binaries

    astro-ph.HE 2024-12 accept novelty 1.0 of 10

    A concise review of the timing, spectral, and polarization properties of accreting X-ray pulsars in high-mass X-ray binaries, including recent IXPE results.

Pith tools