A Potential Cyclotron Resonant Scattering Feature in the Ultraluminous X-Ray Source Pulsar NGC 300 ULX1 Seen by NuSTAR and XMM-Newton

D. J. Walton, M. Bachetti, F. Fürst, D. Barret, M. Brightman, A. C. Fabian, B. W. Grefenstette, F. A. Harrison, M. Heida, J. Kennea, P. Kosec, R. M. Lau, K. K. Madsen, M. J. Middleton, C. Pinto, J. F. Steiner, N. Webb

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Abstract

Based on phase-resolved broadband spectroscopy using XMM-Newton and NuSTAR, we report on a potential cyclotron resonant scattering feature (CRSF) at E ∼ 13 keV in the pulsed spectrum of the recently discovered ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) pulsar NGC 300 ULX1. If this interpretation is correct, the implied magnetic field of the central neutron star is B ∼ 1012 G (assuming scattering by electrons), similar to that estimated from the observed spin-up of the star, and also similar to known Galactic X-ray pulsars. We discuss the implications of this result for the connection between NGC 300 ULX1 and the other known ULX pulsars, particularly in light of the recent discovery of a likely proton cyclotron line in another ULX, M51 ULX-8.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numberL3
JournalAstrophysical Journal Letters
Volume857
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 10 2018

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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