Abstract
The gravitational lensing properties of neutron stars are explored, and the results are applied to x-ray emission from radio and x-ray binary pulsars. A simple method is described and illustrated for calculating the apparent brightness and appearance of the observer's sky for any model of emission from the stellar surface. The case where the emission arises solely from two antipodal hot spots is examined. It is found that for typical neutron star parameters the inclusion of gravitational effects makes it 3-10 times less likely, on average, that a given observer will see only one hot spot of the star, assuming no bias in the angle between the magnetic and spin axes. It is also shown that when relativistic effects are included, the modulation of the light curve arising from two antipodal hot spots is virtually independent of the size of the spots. Thus, unlike the flat space result, it is impossible to obtain arbitrary degrees of modulation by simply considering smaller emitting regions. 29 references.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
