Cyclotron lines in highly magnetized neutron stars. (arXiv:1812.03461v1 [astro-ph.HE])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Staubert_R/0/1/0/all/0/1">R. Staubert</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Trumper_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">J. Tr&#xfc;mper</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Kendziorra_E/0/1/0/all/0/1">E. Kendziorra</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Klochkov_D/0/1/0/all/0/1">D. Klochkov</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Postnov_K/0/1/0/all/0/1">K. Postnov</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Kretschmar_P/0/1/0/all/0/1">P. Kretschmar</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Pottschmidt_K/0/1/0/all/0/1">K. Pottschmidt</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Haberl_F/0/1/0/all/0/1">F. Haberl</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Rothschild_R/0/1/0/all/0/1">R.E. Rothschild</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Santangelo_A/0/1/0/all/0/1">A. Santangelo</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Wilms_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">J. Wilms</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Kreykenbohm_I/0/1/0/all/0/1">I. Kreykenbohm</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Furst_F/0/1/0/all/0/1">F. F&#xfc;rst</a>

Cyclotron lines, also called cyclotron resonant scattering features (CRSF)
are spectral features, generally appearing in absorption, in the X-ray spectra
of objects containing highly magnetized neutron stars, allowing the direct
measurement of the magnetic field strength in these objects. Cyclotron features
are thought to be due to resonant scattering of photons by electrons in the
strong magnetic fields. The main content of this contribution focusses on
electron cyclotron lines as found in accreting X-ray binary pulsars (XRBP) with
magnetic fields on the order of several 1012 Gauss. Also, possible proton
cyclotron lines from single neutron stars with even stronger magnetic fields
are briefly discussed.With regard to electron cyclotron lines, we present an
updated list of XRBPs that show evidence of such absorption lines. The first
such line was discovered in a 1976 balloon observation of the accreting binary
pulsar Hercules X-1, it is considered to be the first direct measurement of the
magnetic field of a neutron star. As of today (mid 2018), we list 36 XRBPs
showing evidence of one ore more electron cyclotron absorption line(s). A few
have been measured only once and must be confirmed (several more objects are
listed as candidates). In addition to the Tables of objects, we summarize the
evidence of variability of the cyclotron line as a function of various
parameters (especially pulse phase, luminosity and time), and add a discussion
of the different observed phenomena and associated attempts of theoretical
modeling. We also discuss our understanding of the underlying physics of
accretion onto highly magnetized neutron stars. For proton cyclotron lines, we
present tables with seven neutron stars and discuss their nature and the
physics in these objects.

Cyclotron lines, also called cyclotron resonant scattering features (CRSF)
are spectral features, generally appearing in absorption, in the X-ray spectra
of objects containing highly magnetized neutron stars, allowing the direct
measurement of the magnetic field strength in these objects. Cyclotron features
are thought to be due to resonant scattering of photons by electrons in the
strong magnetic fields. The main content of this contribution focusses on
electron cyclotron lines as found in accreting X-ray binary pulsars (XRBP) with
magnetic fields on the order of several 1012 Gauss. Also, possible proton
cyclotron lines from single neutron stars with even stronger magnetic fields
are briefly discussed.With regard to electron cyclotron lines, we present an
updated list of XRBPs that show evidence of such absorption lines. The first
such line was discovered in a 1976 balloon observation of the accreting binary
pulsar Hercules X-1, it is considered to be the first direct measurement of the
magnetic field of a neutron star. As of today (mid 2018), we list 36 XRBPs
showing evidence of one ore more electron cyclotron absorption line(s). A few
have been measured only once and must be confirmed (several more objects are
listed as candidates). In addition to the Tables of objects, we summarize the
evidence of variability of the cyclotron line as a function of various
parameters (especially pulse phase, luminosity and time), and add a discussion
of the different observed phenomena and associated attempts of theoretical
modeling. We also discuss our understanding of the underlying physics of
accretion onto highly magnetized neutron stars. For proton cyclotron lines, we
present tables with seven neutron stars and discuss their nature and the
physics in these objects.

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