The complex X-ray spectrum of the isolated neutron star RBS1223

Abstract

We present a first analysis of a deep X-ray spectrum of the isolated neutron star RBS1223 obtained with XMM-Newton. Spectral data from four new monitoring observations in 2005/2006 were combined with archival observations obtained in 2003 and 2004 to form a spin-phase averaged spectrum containing 290 000 EPIC-pn photons. This spectrum shows higher complexity than its predecessors, and can be parameterised with two Gaussian absorption lines superimposed on a blackbody. The line centers, E₂≃2E₁, could be regarded as supporting the cyclotron interpretation of the absorption features in a field B∼4×10¹³ G. The flux ratio of those lines does not support this interpretation. Hence, either feature might be of truly atomic origin.