Cyclotron Line Variability

Abstract

We systematically analyzed the spectra of X-ray binary pulsars observed with GINGA (Mihara 1995). A new model NPEX (Negative and Positive power-laws EXponential) was introduced t o represent the pulsar continuum. Combining the NPEX continuum with the CYAB factor (cyclotron resonance scattering model), we successfully fit the whole-band spectra of all the pulsars. A possible physical meaning of the NPEX model is the Comptonized spectra. By using the smooth and concave NPEX model, the cyclotron structures were detected from 12 pulsars, about a half of the 23 sources, including new discoveries from LMC X-4 and GS 1843+00. The magnetic fields were scattered in the range of $3\times10^{11}$ - $5\times10^{12}$ G. The distribution was shown for the first time, which is remarkably similar to that of radio pulsars with a peak at $2 \times 10^{12}$ G. The double harmonic cyclotron structures of 4U 0115+63 in 1990 changed to a sin gle structure in 1991. The resonance energy also increased by 40 % as the luminosity decreased to 1/6. If we attribute this change to the height of the scattering region in a dipole m agnetic field, the height change is $\sim$ 1.1 km. Such changes of the resonance energies with luminosities are observed from 5 pulsars and can be explained by the accretion column height model.