Soft X-Ray Production by Photon Scattering from an Accreting Neutron Stars

No Thumbnail Available

Date

2007-07

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Addis Ababa University

Abstract

We have calculated Compton scattering in strong magnetic fields and obtained a full expression of the scattering cross-section( ) of a particle, or the total area of the scatterer as seen by the incident photons. This Scattering Cross-section is valid only for the scattering of a low-frequency photon with non-relativistic electrons. We have made a plot of scattering cross-section versus incident photon frequency and tried to see the relationship the two parameters have got with respect to each other. The comparison of the incident and the scattered photon frequencies and the relationship between the two is also shown. That is, we have tried to show that as our mechanism of soft x-ray production is compton scattering, the photon frequency after scattering is less than its incident value. This tells us the fact that low photon frequencies are obtained and this inturn implies the production of soft X-rays at the surface of the neutron stars. Therefore, there exists a mechanism as a source of soft(Es < 10kev) radiation in binary neutron stars, in the form of photon scattering with both the initial and final electrons on the ground magnetic states. This mechanism provides a copious source of soft photons which can be redistributed to higher frequencies by inverse Comptonization

Description

Keywords

Soft X-Ray Production by Photon Scattering

Citation

Collections