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arXiv · 1106.2067

XMM-Newton discovery of a possible cyclotron emission feature from the SFXT IGR J18483-0311

V. Sguera·L. Sidoli·A. Bazzano·L. Bassani·M. Orlandini
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Abstract

We report the results from an archival XMM-Newton observation of the Supergiant Fast X-ray Transient (SFXT) IGR J18483-0311 during its apastron passage. The measured 0.5--10 keV luminosity state (1.3$\times10^{33}$ erg s$^{-1}$) is the lowest ever reported in the literature, it is best fitted by an absorbed black body model yielding parameters consistent with previous measurements. In addition, we find evidence of an emission line feature at $\sim$3.3 keV in the 0.5--10 keV EPIC-pn source spectrum. We show that its physical explanation in terms of atomic emission line appears unlikely and conversely we attempt to ascribe it to an electron cyclotron emission line which would implies a neutron star magnetic field of the order of $\sim3\times10^{11}$ G. A possible hint of the first harmonic is also found. If firmly confirmed by future longer X-ray observations, this would be the first detection ever of a cyclotron feature in the X-ray spectrum of a SFXT, with important implications on theoretical models.

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V. Sguera, L. Sidoli, A. Bazzano, L. Bassani, M. Orlandini. 2011-06-10. XMM-Newton discovery of a possible cyclotron emission feature from the SFXT IGR J18483-0311. https://arxiv.org/abs/1106.2067

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