Resolve the origin of the 10 keV spectral feature

Determine the physical origin of the broad X-ray emission feature near 10 keV in accreting neutron-star spectra.

Background

The review identifies a broad feature near 10 keV, commonly called the 10 keV bump or 10 keV feature. It may result from imperfect modeling of the broadband continuum, but observations also suggest that at least part of its flux may be independent of the continuum, leaving its physical interpretation unresolved.

References

The origin of this component is still unclear.

— Pulse profiles of accreting neutron stars - A review of analysis methods, observations, and theoretical models  (2608.20876 - Pottschmidt et al., 21 Aug 2026) in Section 3.1.2, “Pulse phase dependence of spectral components”