The XMM‐Newton view of magnetars

Abstract

Anomalous X-ray Pulsars and Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters are believed to be magnetars: isolated neutron stars powered by the decay of extremely high magnetic fields. We review some of the main results obtained with XMM-Newton and discuss the prospects for future observations of this small but extremely interesting class of objects.

XMM–Newton observations of soft gamma-ray repeaters

“…4. The two panels refer to the observed (top) and emitted (bottom) fluxes in the 2-10 keV range and for a common value of the absorption in all the observations (N H = 9 × 10 22 cm −2 , see Mereghetti et al 2006a for details). The long term decrease in luminosity is clear, but, owing to the source spectral variations, the details of the decay light curve are different for the observed and unabsorbed flux.…”