MG11 
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A self-consistent model for the isolated neutron star RX J0720.4-3125

Observation and analysis of thermal radiation from neutron stars can provide very valuable information on the properties of matter at high densities and can shed light on the physical phenomena occurring at the surface layers of neutron stars. In this talk we present a model for the isolated neutron star RX J0720.4-3125 that accounts simultaneously for the observed X-ray emission, the optical excess, the pulsed fraction, the observed spectral feature at 0.3 kev and the long-term variability. The model is based on the presence of a high magnetic field that induces a condensation of the surface layers and modifies the surface temperature distribution and the local emissivity with respect to a black body. We have explored different magnetic field configurations, including both poloidal and toroidal components, to fit observations. Our results indicate that this model can explain relatively well all the observed properties of RX J0720.4-3125 and, although we cannot rule out other models, this one offers a self-consistent explanation of the observed data. We are studying other neutron stars that we expect to be well described by this model and preliminary results are promising.