Latest results of pulse phase resolved spectroscopy of cyclotron lines in accretion powered pulsars

Abstract

We have performed pulse phase resolved spectroscopy of the Cyclotron Resonance Scattering Features (CRSF) of some bright accretion powered X-ray pulsars like 1A 1118-61, Vela X-1, A0535+26, XTE J1946+274, 4U 1907+09, 4U 1626-67 and GX 301-2 using Suzaku observations with long exposures. We have performed the study using different spectral models for the continuum and have obtained similar patterns of variations of the CRSF in all the cases, thus demonstrating the robustness of our results. Pulse phase dependence of the CRSF in XTE J1946+274 has been obtained for the first time, and phase resolved variations of the CRSF in 4U 1907+09 has been compared at factor of ~ 2 difference in luminosity. We have also studied the pulse profiles of these objects near the CRSF energy, and have noticed an increased pulse fraction and/or a change in the pulse shape near the CRSF energy for some sources. The implications of the results are discussed.