Hydrodynamical Simulation of the Structure of the X-Ray Pulsar Accretion Channel: Accounting for Resonant Scattering

Abstract

A self-consistent radiation-hydrodynamics model of an accretion channel of subcritical X-ray pulsars is constructed. The influence of the presence of resonance in the scattering cross-section on the accretion process and radiation transfer is taken into account. It is shown that the efficiency of plasma deceleration by radiation depends on the magnitude of the magnetic field \(B\). For \(B=1.7\times 10^{12}\) G, the spectra and the degree of linear polarization of the radiation of the accretion channel are constructed. In the obtained spectra, the shape of the cyclotron line depends on the direction of the outgoing radiation. The calculated linear polarization degree of the outgoing radiation is \(30{-}40\%\) near the cyclotron resonance, whereas it can be small (\({\lesssim}5{-}10\%\)) at energies significantly lower than the resonant one.