The Anomalous X-Ray Pulsar 4U 0142+61: A Neutron Star with a Gaseous Fallback Disk

TL;DR

This paper presents evidence of a gaseous fallback disk around the anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142+61, based on multi-wavelength data analysis, suggesting a new understanding of the pulsar's environment.

Contribution

It introduces the first detection of a disk around an AXP and models the broadband data with an irradiated, viscously heated disk.

Findings

Detection of a gaseous disk around 4U 0142+61

Broadband data consistent with an irradiated disk

Supports the fallback disk hypothesis for AXPs

Abstract

The recent detection of the anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) 4U 0142+61 in the mid-infrared with the {\it Spitzer} observatory by Z.Wang and coworkers constitutes the first instance of a disk around an AXP. We show, by analyzing earlier optical and near-IR data together with the recent data, that the overall broadband data set can be reproduced by a single model of an irradiated and viscously heated disk.