1,092 research outputs found
Discovery of a new pulsating X-ray source with a 1549.1-s period, AX J183220-0840
A new pulsating X-ray source, AX J183220-0840, with a 1549.1-s period was
discovered at R.A.= 18h32m20s and Dec.=-8d40'30'' (J2000,
uncertainty=0.6degree) during an ASCA observation on the Galactic plane. The
source was observed two times, in 1997 and in 1999. A phase-averaged X-ray flux
of 1.1E-11 ergs cm-2 s-1 and pulsation period of 1549.1+/-0.4 s were
consistently obtained from these two observations. The X-ray spectrum was
represented by a flat absorbed power-law with a photon-index of =~0.8 and an
absorption column density of =~1.3E22 cm-2. Also, a signature of iron K-shell
line emission with a centroid of 6.7 keV and an equivalent width of
approximately 450 eV was detected. From the pulsation period and the iron-line
feature, AX J183220-0840 is likely to be a magnetic white dwarf binary with a
complexly absorbed thermal spectrum with a temperature of about 10 keV.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Probing the stellar wind environment of Vela X-1 with MAXI
Vela X-1 is among the best studied and most luminous accreting X-ray pulsars.
The supergiant optical companion produces a strong radiatively-driven stellar
wind, which is accreted onto the neutron star producing highly variable X-ray
emission. A complex phenomenology, due to both gravitational and radiative
effects, needs to be taken into account in order to reproduce orbital spectral
variations. We have investigated the spectral and light curve properties of the
X-ray emission from Vela X-1 along the binary orbit. These studies allow to
constrain the stellar wind properties and its perturbations induced by the
compact object. We took advantage of the All Sky Monitor MAXI/GSC data to
analyze Vela X-1 spectra and light curves. By studying the orbital profiles in
the and keV energy bands, we extracted a sample of orbital light
curves (% of the total) showing a dip around the inferior
conjunction, i.e., a double-peaked shape. We analyzed orbital phase-averaged
and phase-resolved spectra of both the double-peaked and the standard sample.
The dip in the double-peaked sample needs cm to
be explained by absorption solely, which is not observed in our analysis. We
show how Thomson scattering from an extended and ionized accretion wake can
contribute to the observed dip. Fitted by a cutoff power-law model, the two
analyzed samples show orbital modulation of the photon index, hardening by
around the inferior conjunction, compared to earlier and later
phases, hinting a likely inadequacy of this model. On the contrary, including a
partial covering component at certain orbital phase bins allows a constant
photon index along the orbital phases, indicating a highly inhomogeneous
environment. We discuss our results in the framework of possible scenarios.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Footprints in the wind of Vela X-1 traced with MAXI
The stellar wind around the compact object in luminous wind-accreting high
mass X-ray binaries is expected to be strongly ionized with the X-rays coming
from the compact object. The stellar wind of hot stars is mostly driven by
light absorption in lines of heavier elements, and X-ray photo-ionization
significantly reduces the radiative force within the so-called Stroemgren
region leading to wind stagnation around the compact object. In close binaries
like Vela X-1 this effect might alter the wind structure throughout the system.
Using the spectral data from Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI), we study
the observed dependence of the photoelectric absorption as function of orbital
phase in Vela X-1, and find that it is inconsistent with expectations for a
spherically-symmetric smooth wind. Taking into account previous investigations
we develop a simple model for wind structure with a stream-like photoionization
wake region of slower and denser wind trailing the neutron star responsible for
the observed absorption curve.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted in A&
Constraints on Thermal Emission Models of Anomalous X-ray Pulsars
Thermal emission from the surface of an ultramagnetic neutron star is
believed to contribute significantly to the soft X-ray flux of the Anomalous
X-ray Pulsars. We compare the detailed predictions of models of the surface
emission from a magnetar to the observed properties of AXPs. In particular, we
focus on the combination of their luminosities and energy-dependent pulsed
fractions. We use the results of recent calculations for strongly magnetized
atmospheres to obtain the angle- and energy-dependence of the surface emission.
We include in our calculations the effects of general relativistic photon
transport and interstellar extinction. We find that the combination of the
large pulsed fractions and the high luminosities of AXPs cannot be accounted
for by surface emission from a magnetar with two antipodal hot regions or a
temperature distribution characteristic of a magnetic dipole. This result is
robust for reasonable neutron star radii, for the range of magnetic field
strengths inferred from the observed spin down rates, and for surface
temperatures consistent with the spectral properties of AXPs. Models with a
single hot emitting region can reproduce the observations, provided that the
distance to one of the sources is ~30% less than the current best estimate, and
allowing for systematic uncertainties in the spectral fit of a second source.
Finally, the thermal emission models with antipodal emission geometry predict a
characteristic strong increase of the pulsed fraction with photon energy, which
is apparently inconsistent with the current data. The energy-dependence of the
pulsed fraction in the models with one hot region shows a wider range of
behavior and can be consistent with the existing data. Upcoming high-resolution
observations with Chandra and XMM-Newton will provide a conclusive test.Comment: 25 preprint pages, 7 color figures, ApJ, in pres
Discovery of luminous pulsed hard X-ray emission from anomalous X-ray pulsars 1RXS J1708-4009, 4U 0142+61 and 1E 2259+586 by INTEGRAL and RXTE
We report on the discovery of hard spectral tails for energies above 10 keV
in the total and pulsed spectra of anomalous X-ray pulsars 1RXS J1708-4009, 4U
0142+61 and 1E 2259+586 using RXTE PCA (2-60 keV) and HEXTE (15-250 keV) data
and INTEGRAL IBIS ISGRI (20-300 keV) data. Improved spectral information on 1E
1841-045 is presented. The pulsed and total spectra measured above 10 keV have
power-law shapes and there is so far no significant evidence for spectral
breaks or bends up to ~150 keV. The pulsed spectra are exceptionally hard with
indices measured for 4 AXPs approximately in the range -1.0 -- 1.0. We also
reanalyzed archival CGRO COMPTEL (0.75-30 MeV) data to search for signatures
from our set of AXPs. No detections can be claimed, but the obtained
upper-limits in the MeV band indicate that for 1RXS J1708-4009, 4U 0142+61 and
1E 1841-045 strong breaks must occur somewhere between 150 and 750 keV.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; 19 pages; 4 Tables; 15 Figures (6
color
Elemental Abundances in the Possible Type Ia Supernova Remnant G344.7-0.1
Recent studies on the Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) G344.7-0.1 have
commonly claimed its origin to be a core-collapse supernova (SN) explosion,
based on its highly asymmetric morphology and/or proximity to a star forming
region. In this paper, however, we present an X-ray spectroscopic study of this
SNR using Suzaku, which is supportive of a Type Ia origin. Strong K-shell
emission from lowly ionized Fe has clearly been detected, and its origin is
determined, for the first time, to be the Fe-rich SN ejecta. The abundance
pattern is highly consistent with that expected for a somewhat-evolved Type Ia
SNR. It is suggested, therefore, that the X-ray point-like source CXOU
J170357.8-414302 located at the SNR's geometrical center is not associated with
the SNR but is likely to be a foreground object. Our result further indicates
that G344.7-0.1 is the first possible Type Ia SNR categorized as a member of
the so-called "mixed-morphology" class. In addition, we have detected emission
from He-like Al at ~1.6 keV, the first clear detection of this element in the
spectrum of an extended X-ray source. The possible enhancement of the Al/Mg
abundance ratio from the solar value suggests that the ambient interstellar
medium has a relatively high metallicity (not less than 10% of the solar
value), if this SNR has indeed a Type Ia origin. We also report marginal
detection of Cr and Mn, although the measured fluxes have large statistical and
systematic uncertainties.Comment: ApJ in pres
Spectral properties of anomalous X-ray pulsars
In this paper, the spectra of the persistent emission from anomalous X-ray
pulsars (AXPs) and their variation with spin-down rate is
considered. Firstly, based on an accretion-powered model, the influences of
both magnetic field and mass accretion rate on the spectra properties of AXPs
are addressed. Subsequently, the relation between the spectral property of AXPs
and mass accretion rate is investigated. The result shows that there
exists a linear correlation between the photon index and mass accretion rate,
and the spectral hardness increases with increasing . A possible
emission mechanism for the explanation of spectral properties of AXPs is also
discussed.Comment: 11pages, 3 figures, Chin. J. Astron. Astrophys. in pres
A contribution of stellar flares to the GRXE -- based on MAXI observations --
Using unbiased observations of MAXI/GSC the potential contribution of stellar
flares and CVs to GRXE luminosity is estimated in the energy range of 2 - 10
keV. Currently, a reasonable luminosity has been obtained extrapolating the
number of stellar flares and that of CVs toward the Galactic ridge from those
of the observed flares and CVs near the solar system. The ionized emission
lines of Si to Fe are also simulated making the composite thermal spectrum
which is based on MAXI observations of stellar flares and CVs. The present
estimated result strongly supports a picture that the cumulative stellar flares
contribute primarily to the GRXE in terms of the composite thermal spectrum
with emission lines and secondary contribution is due to the thermal spectrum
with high temperature from CVs
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