AAS 196th Meeting, June 2000
Session 34. A New Era in X-ray Astronomy
Topical Session Oral, Wednesday, June 7, 2000, 8:30-10:00am, 10:45am-12:30pm, 2:30-4:00pm, 4:15-6:00pm, Lilac Ballroom

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[34.18] High Resolution Spectroscopy of EXO 0748-67 with the RGS on XMM

J. Cottam (Columbia Astrophysics Lab.), A.J. den Boggende (Space Research Org. of the Netherlands), G. Branduardi-Raymont (Mullard Space Science Lab.), A.C. Brinkman (Space Research Org. of the Netherlands), C. Erd (ESA/ESTEC), M. Guedel (Paul Scherrer Inst.), J.W. den Herder (Space Research Org. of the Netherlands), F. Jansen (ESA/ESTEC), J. Kaastra (Space Research Org. of the Netherlands), S.M. Kahn (Columbia Astrophysics Lab.), R. Mewe (Space Research Org. of the Netherlands), F. Paerels, A. Rasmussen (Columbia Astrophysics Lab.), I. Sakelliou (Mullard Space Science Lab.), M. Sako (Columbia Astrophysics Lab.), C. P. de Vries (Space Research Org. of the Netherlands)

The high-resolution spectrum of EXO 0748-67 obtained by the Reflection Grating Spectrometer on XMM-Newton shows bright hydrogenic and helium-like oxygen lines forming in an extended photoionized region surrounding the central neutron star. Analysis of the helium triplet line ratios for both oxygen and neon indicate a plasma density of at least 1013cm-3. The light curves show frequent bursting activity during which the continuum flux increases by as much as a factor of 10 and the equivalent width of the line emission drops significantly. We will present the details of the data as well as the integrated physical model derived from the spectroscopic diagnostics.

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