Neutron Star Astronomy in the era of the European Extremely Large Telescope

TL;DR

The paper discusses how the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) will significantly advance neutron star optical astronomy by increasing detections and enabling detailed studies of neutron star interiors, atmospheres, and magnetospheres.

Contribution

It presents future prospects for neutron star observations with the E-ELT, highlighting its potential to expand sample size and improve understanding of neutron star properties.

Findings

E-ELT will identify ~100 new isolated neutron stars.

Enhanced observations will enable detailed studies of neutron star interiors and atmospheres.

The E-ELT will facilitate the search for debris discs around neutron stars.

Abstract

About 25 isolated neutron stars (INSs) are now detected in the optical domain, mainly thanks to the HST and to VLT-class telescopes. The European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) will yield ~100 new identifications, many of which from the follow-up of SKA, IXO, and Fermi observations. Moreover, the E-ELT will allow to carry out, on a much larger sample, INS observations which still challenge VLT-class telescopes, enabling studies on the structure and composition of the NS interior, of its atmosphere and magnetosphere, as well as to search for debris discs. In this contribution, I outline future perspectives for NS optical astronomy with the E-ELT.