keV Light Curve Research Articles

Optical and soft X-ray light-curve analysis during the 2022 eruption of U Scorpii: Structural changes in the accretion disk

Abstract We present our optical photometric observations of the 2022 eruption of the recurrent nova U Scorpii (U Sco) using 49152 data points over 70 d following the optical peak. We have also analyzed its soft X-ray (0.3–1 keV) light curve by the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. During the 2022 eruption, the optical plateau stage started 13.8–15.0 d and ended 23.8–25.0 d after the optical peak. The soft X-ray stage started 14.6–15.3 d and ended 38.7–39.5 d after the optical peak. Both stages started later and had shorter durations, and the soft X-ray light curve peaked earlier and was less luminous compared to those during the U Sco 2010 eruption. These points suggest that there were differences in the envelope mass between the different cycles of the nova eruption. Furthermore, we have analyzed the optical eclipses during the 2022 eruption. The primary eclipse was first observed 10.4–11.6 d after the optical peak, earlier than the beginning of the optical plateau stage. This sequence of events can be explained by the receding ejecta photosphere associated with the expanding nova ejecta. We have determined the ingress and egress phases of the primary eclipses and estimated the outer radius of the optical light source centered at the white dwarf (WD). During the optical plateau stage, the source radius remained ∼1.2 times larger than the Roche volume radius of the primary WD, being close to the L1 point. When the optical plateau stage ended, the source radius drastically shrank to the tidal truncation radius within a few orbital periods. This previously unresolved phenomenon can be interpreted as a structural change in U Sco where the temporarily expanded accretion disk due to the nova wind returned to a steady state.

Delayed Development of Cool Plasmas in X-Ray Flares from the Young Sun-like Star κ 1 Ceti

The Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) X-ray observatory observed two powerful X-ray flares equivalent to superflares from the nearby young solar-like star κ 1 Ceti in 2019. NICER follows each flare from the onset through the early decay, collecting over 30 counts s−1 near the peak, enabling a detailed spectral variation study of the flare rise. The flare in September varies quickly in ∼800 s, while the flare in December has a few times longer timescale. In both flares, the hard-band (2–4 keV) light curves show typical stellar X-ray flare variations with a rapid rise and slow decay, while the soft X-ray light curves, especially of the September flare, have prolonged flat peaks. The time-resolved spectra require two temperature plasma components at kT ∼0.3–1 and ∼2–4 keV. Both components vary similarly, but the cool component lags by ∼200 s with a four to six times smaller emission measure (EM) compared to the hot component. A comparison with hydrodynamic flare loop simulations indicates that the cool component originates from X-ray plasma near the magnetic loop footpoints that mainly cools via thermal conduction. The time lag represents the travel time of the evaporated gas through the entire flare loop. The cool component has a several times smaller EM than its simulated counterpart, suggesting a suppression of conductive cooling, possibly by the expansion of the loop cross-sectional area or turbulent fluctuations. The cool component’s time lag and EM ratio provide important constraints on the flare loop geometry.

A puzzling 2-hour X-ray periodicity in the 1.5-hour orbital period black widow PSR J1311−3430

Time-domain analysis of an archival XMM-Newton observation unveiled a very unusual variability pattern in the soft X-ray emission of PSR J1311−3430, a black widow millisecond pulsar in a tight binary (PB = 93.8 min) with a very low-mass (M ∼ 0.01 M⊙) He companion star, known to show flaring emission in the optical and in the X-rays. A series of six pulses with a regular recurrence time of ∼124 min is apparent in the 0.2−10 keV light curve of the system, also featuring an initial, bright flare and a quiescent phase lasting several hours. The X-ray spectrum does not change when the pulses are seen and it is consistent with a power law with photon index Γ ∼ 1.5, also describing the quiescent emission. The peak luminosity of the pulses is of several 1032 erg s−1. Simultaneous observations in the U band with the Optical Monitor onboard XMM and in the g′ band from the Las Cumbres Observatory do not show any apparent counterpart of the pulses and only display the well-known orbital modulation of the system. We consider different hypotheses to explain the recurrent pulses: we investigate their possible analogy with other phenomena already observed in this pulsar and in similar systems and we also study possible explanations related to the interaction of the energetic pulsar wind with intra-binary material, but we found none of these pictures to be convincing. We identify simultaneous X-ray observations and optical spectroscopy as a possible way to constrain the nature of the phenomenon.

Fermi LAT Gamma-ray Detection of the Recurrent Nova RS Ophiuchi during its 2021 Outburst

We report the Fermi LAT γ-ray detection of the 2021 outburst of the symbiotic recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi. In this system, unlike classical novae from cataclysmic binaries, the ejecta from the white dwarf form shocks when interacting with the dense circumstellar wind environment of the red giant companion. We find the LAT spectra from 50 MeV to ∼20–23 GeV, the highest-energy photons detected in some subintervals, are consistent with π 0-decay emission from shocks in the ejecta as proposed by Tatischeff & Hernanz for its previous 2006 outburst. The LAT light curve displayed a fast rise to its peak >0.1 GeV flux of ≃6 × 10−6 ph cm−2 s−1 beginning on day 0.745 after its optically constrained eruption epoch of 2021 August 8.50. The peak lasted for ∼1 day and exhibited a power-law decline up to the final LAT detection on day 45. We analyze the data on shorter timescales at early times and found evidence of an approximate doubling of emission over ∼200 minutes at day 2.2, possibly indicating a localized shock-acceleration event. Comparing the data collected by the American Association of Variable Star Observers, we measured a constant ratio of ∼ 2.8 × 10−3 between the γ-ray and optical luminosities except for a ∼5×smaller ratio within the first day of the eruption likely indicating attenuation of γ rays by ejecta material and lower high-energy proton fluxes at the earliest stages of the shock development. The hard X-ray emission due to bremsstrahlung from shock-heated gas traced by the Swift-XRT 2–10 keV light curve peaked at day ∼6, later than at GeV and optical energies. Using X-ray derived temperatures to constrain the velocity profile, we find the hadronic model reproduces the observed >0.1 GeV light curve.

The 2021 outburst of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi observed in X-rays by the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory: a comparative study

ABSTRACT On 2021 August 8, the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi (RS Oph) erupted again, after an interval of 15.5 yr. Regular monitoring by the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory began promptly, on August 9.9 (0.37 d after the optical peak), and continued until the source passed behind the Sun at the start of November, 86 d later. Observations then restarted on day 197, once RS Oph emerged from the Sun constraint. This makes RS Oph the first Galactic recurrent nova to have been monitored by Swift throughout two eruptions. Here we investigate the extensive X-ray data sets between 2006 and 2021, as well as the more limited data collected by the European X-ray Observatory Satellite (EXOSAT) in 1985. The hard X-rays arising from shock interactions between the nova ejecta and red giant wind are similar following the last two eruptions. In contrast, the early supersoft source (SSS) in 2021 was both less variable and significantly fainter than in 2006. However, 0.3–1 keV light curves from 2021 reveal a 35 s quasi-periodic oscillation consistent in frequency with the 2006 data. The Swift X-ray spectra from 2021 are featureless, with the soft emission typically being well parametrized by a simple blackbody, while the 2006 spectra showed much stronger evidence for superimposed ionized absorption edges. Considering the data after day 60 following each eruption, during the supersoft phase the 2021 spectra are hotter, with smaller effective radii and lower wind absorption, leading to an apparently reduced bolometric luminosity. We explore possible explanations for the gross differences in observed SSS behaviour between the 2006 and 2021 outbursts.

A Disk Instability Model for the Quasi-periodic Eruptions of GSN 069

Abstract GSN 069 is a recently discovered quasi-periodic eruption (QPE) source recurring about every 9 hr. The mechanism for the QPEs of GSN 069 is still unclear. In this work, a disk instability model is constructed to explain GSN 069 based on Pan et al. (PLC21), where the authors proposed a toy model for the repeating changing-look active galactic nuclei. We improve the work of PLC21 by including a nonzero viscous torque condition on the inner boundary of the disk and adopting a general form for the viscous stress torque in the Kerr metric. It is found that the 0.4–2 keV light curves, the light curves at different energy bands, and the phase-resolved X-ray spectrum of GSN 069 can all be qualitatively reproduced by our model. Furthermore, the profiles of light curves in QPEs can be significantly changed by the parameter μ in the viscous torque equation, which implies that our model may also be applied to other QPEs.

NuSTAR and Swift observations of the extragalactic black hole X-ray binaries

ABSTRACT We present the results obtained from detailed spectral and timing studies of extragalactic black hole X-ray binaries LMC X–1 and LMC X–3, using simultaneous observations with Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and Neil Gehrels Swift observatories. The combined spectra in the 0.5–30 keV energy range, obtained between 2014 and 2019, are investigated for both sources. We do not find any noticeable variability in 0.5–30 keV light curves, with 0.1–10 Hz fractional rms estimated to be <2 per cent. No evidence of quasi-periodic oscillations is found in the power density spectra. The sources are found to be in the high soft state during the observations with disc temperature Tin ∼ 1 keV, photon index, Γ > 2.5 and thermal emission fraction, fdisc > 80 per cent. An Fe Kα emission line is detected in the spectra of LMC X–1, though no such feature is observed in the spectra of LMC X–3. From the spectral modelling, the spins of the black holes in LMC X–1 and LMC X–3 are estimated to be in the range of 0.92–0.95 and 0.19−0.29, respectively. The accretion efficiency is found to be, η ∼ 0.13 and η ∼ 0.04 for LMC X–1 and LMC X–3, respectively.

Long-term X-ray observations of seyfert 1 galaxy ark 120: on the origin of soft-excess

ABSTRACT We present the long-term X-ray spectral and temporal analysis of a ‘bare-type AGN’ Ark 120. We consider the observations from XMM–Newton, Suzaku, Swift, and NuSTAR from 2003 to 2018. The spectral properties of this source are studied using various phenomenological and physical models present in the literature. We report (a) the variations of several physical parameters, such as the temperature and the optical depth of the electron cloud, the size of the Compton cloud, and the accretion properties for the last 15 yr. The spectral variations are explained from the changes in the accretion dynamics; (b) the X-ray time delay between 0.2–2 and 3–10 keV light-curves exhibited zero-delay in 2003, positive delay of 4.71 ± 2.1 ks in 2013, and negative delay of 2.90 ± 1.26 ks in 2014. The delays are explained considering Comptonization, reflection, and light-crossing time; (c) the long-term intrinsic luminosities, obtained using nthcomp, of the soft-excess and the primary continuum show a correlation with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.90. This indicates that the soft-excess and the primary continuum originate from the same physical process. From a physical model fitting, we infer that the soft excess for Ark 120 could be due to a small number of scatterings in the Compton cloud. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we show that indeed the spectra corresponding to fewer scatterings could provide a steeper soft-excess power law in the 0.2–3 keV range. Simulated luminosities are found to be in agreement with the observed values.

Hard X-Ray Emission Associated with White Dwarfs. IV. Signs of Accretion from Substellar Companions

Abstract With an effective temperature of ≃200,000 K, KPD 0005+5106 is one of the hottest white dwarfs (WDs). ROSAT unexpectedly detected “hard” (∼1 keV) X-rays from this apparently single WD. We have obtained Chandra observations that confirm the spatial coincidence of this hard X-ray source with KPD 0005+5106. We have also obtained XMM-Newton observations of KPD 0005+5106, as well as PG 1159−035 and WD 0121−756, which are also apparently single and whose hard X-rays were detected by ROSAT at 3σ–4σ levels. The XMM-Newton spectra of the three WDs show remarkably similar shapes that can be fitted by models including a blackbody component for the stellar photospheric emission, a thermal plasma emission component, and a power-law component. Their X-ray luminosities in the 0.6–3.0 keV band range from 4 × 1029 to 4 × 1030 erg s−1. The XMM-Newton EPIC-pn soft-band (0.3–0.5 keV) light curve of KPD 0005+5106 is essentially constant, but the hard-band (0.6–3.0 keV) light curve shows periodic variations. An analysis of the generalized Lomb–Scargle periodograms for the XMM-Newton and Chandra hard-band light curves finds a convincing modulation (false-alarm probability of 0.41%) with a period of 4.7 ± 0.3 hr. Assuming that this period corresponds to a binary orbital period, the Roche radii of three viable types of companion have been calculated: M9V star, T brown dwarf, and Jupiter-like planet. Only the planet has a size larger than its Roche radius, although the M9V star and T brown dwarf may be heated by the WD and inflate past the Roche radius. Thus, all three types of companion may be donors to fuel accretion-powered hard X-ray emission.

VZ Sex: X-Ray Confirmation of Its Intermediate Polar Nature

Abstract Intermediate polars are members of the cataclysmic variable binary stars. They are characterized by a moderately magnetized white dwarf accreting matter from a cool main-sequence companion star. In many cases, this accretion gives rise to a detectable X-ray emission. VZ Sex is an interesting X-ray source whose nature needs a robust confirmation. Here, we used archived XMM-Newton observations to assign the source to the intermediate polar class. We applied the Lomb–Scargle periodogram method to detect any relevant periodic feature in the 0.1–10 keV light curve and performed a spectral fitting of the X-ray spectrum in order to get information on the on-going accretion mechanism. By inspecting the periodogram, we detected a clear periodic feature at ≃20.3 minutes that we interpret as the spin period of the white dwarf. We additionally found the typical side bands expected as the consequence of the beat between the spin and the orbital period of ≃3.581 hr. The source is characterized by an unabsorbed flux of ≃2.98 × 10−12 erg cm−2 s−1 corresponding to an intrinsic luminosity of ≃7 × 1031 erg s−1 for a distance of ≃433 pc. The existence of such features allows us to classify VZ Sex as a clear member of the intermediate polar class. Furthermore, with the estimated WD spin, the ratio P spin/P orb is ≃0.09, i.e., consistent with that expected for a typical IP system above the period gap. In addition, the estimated intrinsic luminosity opens the possibility that a bridge linking the normally bright IPs to the faint population of sources does exist.

X-Ray Emission Evolution of the Galactic Ultraluminous X-Ray Pulsar Swift J0243.6+6124 during the 2017–2018 Outburst Observed by the MAXI GSC

Abstract This paper reports on the X-ray emission evolution of the ultraluminous Galactic X-ray pulsar Swift J0243.6+6124 during the giant outburst from 2017 October to 2018 January as observed by the MAXI GSC all-sky survey. The 2–30 keV light curve and the energy spectra confirm the source luminosity L X assuming an isotropic emission reached 2.5 × 1039 erg s−1, 10 times higher than the Eddington limit for a 1.4 M ⊙ neutron star. When the source was luminous with L X ≳ 0. 9 × 1038 erg s−1, it generally exhibited a negative correlation on a hardness-intensity diagram. However, two hardness ratios, a soft color (=4–10 keV/2–4 keV) and a hard color (=10–20 keV/4–10 keV), showed somewhat different behavior across a characteristic luminosity of L c ≃ 5 × 1038 erg s−1. The soft color changed more than the hard color when L X < L c, whereas the opposite was observed above L c. The spectral change above L c was represented by a broad enhanced feature at ∼6 keV on top of the canonical cutoff power-law continuum. The pulse profiles, derived daily, made the transition from a single-peak to a double-peak as the source brightened across L c. These spectral and pulse-shape properties can be interpreted by a scenario in which the accretion columns on the neutron-star surface, producing the Comptonized X-ray emission, gradually became taller as L X increases. The broad 6 keV enhancement could be a result of cyclotron-resonance absorption at ∼10 keV, corresponding to a surface magnetic field B s ≃ 1.1 × 1012 G. The spin-frequency derivatives calculated with the Fermi GBM data showed a smooth positive correlation with L X up to the outburst peak, and its linear coefficient is comparable to those of typical Be binary pulsars whose B s are (1–8) × 1012 G. These results suggest that the B s of Swift J0243.6+6124 is a few times 1012 G.

Narrow-Line SY1 NGC 4748 in X-Rays: Detailed Case-Study

We analyze all the available X-ray data in order to monitor the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4748, namely XMM-Newton (EPIC and OM), INTEGRAL (ISGRI and JEM-X), and SWIFT (BAT and XRT) data to study both the wide-band 0.5–195 keV spectrum and light curves in details. To this aim, we use the autocorrelation analysis of the light curves, modeling the spectra with several physically-conditioned models in XSPEC software package. We find a fast quasiperiodic variation of the 0.5–10.0 keV flux on the timescales of kiloseconds in the XMM/EPIC composite light curve.

NuSTAR and Parkes observations of the transitional millisecond pulsar binary XSS J12270–4859 in the rotation-powered state

ABSTRACT We report on the first NuSTAR observation of the transitional millisecond pulsar binary XSS J12270–4859 during its current rotation-powered state, complemented with a 2.5 yr-long radio monitoring at Parkes telescope and archival XMM–Newton and Swift X-ray and optical data. The radio pulsar is mainly detected at 1.4 GHz displaying eclipses over $\sim 40{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of the 6.91 h orbital cycle. We derive a new updated radio ephemeris to study the 3–79 keV light curve that displays a significant orbital modulation with fractional amplitude of $28\pm 3{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$, a structured maximum centred at the inferior conjunction of the pulsar and no cycle-to-cycle or low–high-flaring mode variabilities. The average X-ray spectrum, extending up to ∼70 keV without a spectral break, is well described by a simple power law with photon index Γ = 1.17 ± 0.08 giving a 3–79 keV luminosity of $\rm 7.6_{-0.8}^{+3.8} \times 10^{32}\, erg\, s^{-1}$ for a distance of 1.37$_{-0.15}^{+0.69}$ kpc. Energy resolved orbital light curves reveal that the modulation is not energy dependent from 3 to 25 keV and is undetected with an upper limit of ${\sim} 10{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ above 25 keV. Comparison with previous X-ray XMM–Newton observations in common energy ranges confirms that the modulation amplitudes vary on time-scales of a few months, indicative of a non-stationary contribution of the intrabinary shock (IBS) formed by the colliding winds of the pulsar and the companion. A more detailed inspection of energy resolved modulations than previously reported gives hints of a mild softening at superior conjunction of the pulsar below 3 keV, likely due to the contribution of the thermal emission from the neutron star. The IBS emission, if extending into the MeV range, would be energetically capable alone to irradiate the donor star.

New outburst from the luminous supersoft source SSS1 in NGC 300 with periodic modulation

ABSTRACT The nearby galaxy NGC 300 is hosting two luminous transient supersoft X-ray sources with bolometric luminosities above 3 × 1038 erg s−1, assuming simple blackbody spectra with temperatures around 60–70 eV. For one of these, SSS1, a periodic modulation of 5.4 h was observed in an XMM–Newton observation from 2001 January 1 lasting 47 ks, but not visible six days earlier when the luminosity was higher. We report here the detection of a new outburst from this source, which occurred during two more recent XMM–Newton observations performed on 2016 December 17–20 lasting for 310 ks. The luminosity was similar as in 2000 December, and the 0.2–2.0 keV light curve revealed again a periodic modulation, with a period of 4.68 ± 0.26 h, significant only in the first of the two observations. Taking into account the large uncertainties (the 2001 period was re-estimated at 5.7 ± 1.1 h), the two values could be marginally compatible, and maybe associated with an orbital period, although the signal strength is highly variable. Due to the new long exposures, an additional absorption feature is now visible in the spectra, which we modelled with an absorption edge. This component decreases the bolometric luminosity below 3 × 1038 erg s−1 and would therefore allow the presence of a white dwarf with a mass close to the Chandrasekhar limit. The system was found in outburst in 1992, 2000, 2008, and 2016 suggesting a possible recurrence period of about eight years. We discuss viable models involving white dwarfs, neutron stars, or black holes.

The X-Ray Variable Sky as Seen by MAXI: The Future of Dust-echo Tomography with Bright Galactic X-Ray Bursts

Abstract Bright, short duration X-ray flares from accreting compact objects produce thin, dust scattering rings that enable dust-echo tomography: high-precision distance measurements and mapping of the line-of-sight distribution of dust. This work looks to the past activity of X-ray transient outbursts in order to predict the number of sight lines available for dust-echo tomography. We search for and measure the properties of 3σ significant flares in the 2–4 keV light curves of all objects available in the public MAXI archive. We derive a fluence sensitivity limit of 10−3 erg cm−2 for the techniques used to analyze the light curves. This limits the study mainly to flares from Galactic X-ray sources. We obtain the number density of flares and estimate the total fluence of the corresponding dust echoes. However, the sharpness of a dust-echo ring depends on the duration of a flare relative to quiescence. We select flares that are shorter than their corresponding quiescent period to calculate a number density distribution for dust-echo rings as a function of fluence. The results are fit with a power law of slope −2.3 ± 0.1. Extrapolating this to dimmer flares, we estimate that the next generation of X-ray telescopes will be 30 times more sensitive than current observatories, resulting in 10–30 dust ring echoes per year. The new telescopes will also be 10–100 times more sensitive than Chandra to dust ring echoes from the intergalactic medium.

DW Cancri in X-rays

We report on the $XMM$-Newton observation of DW Cnc, a candidate intermediate polar candidate whose historical optical light curve shows the existence of periods at $\simeq 38$, $\simeq 86$ and $\simeq 69$ minutes which were interpreted as the white dwarf spin, the orbital and the spin-orbit beat periodicities. By studying the $0.3-10$ keV light curves, we confirm the existence of a period at $\simeq 38$ minutes and find in the OM light curve a signature for a period at $75\pm 21$ minutes which is consistent with both the orbital and spin-orbit beat. { These findings allow us to unveil without any doubt, the nature of DW Cnc as an accreting intermediate polar. The EPIC and RGS source spectra were analyzed and a best fit model, consisting of a multi-temperature plasma, was found. The maximum temperature found when fitting the data is $kT_{max}\simeq 31$ keV which can be interpreted as an upper limit to the temperature of the shock.

The 7-year MAXI/GSC X-Ray Source Catalog in the High Galactic Latitude Sky (3MAXI)

We present the third MAXI/GSC catalog in the high Galactic-latitude sky ($|b| > 10^\circ$) based on the 7-year data from 2009 August 13 to 2016 July 31, complementary to that in the low Galactic-latitude sky ($|b| < 10^\circ$; Hori et al. 2018). We compile 682 sources detected at significances of $s_{\rm D,4-10~keV} \geq 6.5$ in the 4--10 keV band. A two-dimensional image fit based on the Poisson likelihood algorithm ($C$-statistics) is adopted for the detections and constraints on their fluxes and positions. The 4--10 keV sensitivity reaches $\approx 0.48$ mCrab, or $\approx 5.9 \times 10^{-12}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$, over the half of the survey area. Compared with the 37-month catalog (Hiroi et al. 2013), which adopted a threshold of $s_{\rm D,4-10~keV} \geq 7$, the source number increases by a factor of $\sim$1.4. The fluxes in the 3--4 keV and 10--20 keV bands are further estimated, and hardness ratios (HRs) are calculated using the 3--4 keV, 4--10 keV, 3--10 keV, and 10--20 keV band fluxes. We also make the 4--10 keV lightcurves in one year bins for all the sources and characterize their variabilities with an index based on a likelihood function and the excess variance. Possible counterparts are found from five major X-ray survey catalogs by Swift, Uhuru, RXTE, XMM-Newton, and ROSAT, and an X-ray galaxy-cluster catalog (MCXC). Our catalog provides the fluxes, positions, detection significances, HRs, one-year bin lightcurves, variability indices, and counterpart candidates.

Discovery and state transitions of the new Galactic black hole candidate MAXI J1535−571

Abstract We report on the detection and subsequent X-ray monitoring of the new Galactic black hole candidate MAXI J1535−571 with the Gas Slit Camera onboard Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI/GSC). After the discovery on 2017 September 2, made independently with MAXI and the Swift/BAT, the source brightened gradually, and in a few weeks reached the peak intensity of ∼5 Crab, or ∼1.6 × 10−7 erg cm−2 s−1 in terms of the 2–20 keV flux. On the initial outburst rise, the 2–20 keV MAXI/GSC spectrum was described by a power-law model with a photon index of ≲ 2, while after a hard-to-soft transition, which occurred on September 18, the spectrum required a disk blackbody component in addition. At around the flux peak, the 2–8 keV and 15–50 keV light curves showed quasi-periodic and anti-correlated fluctuations with amplitudes of 10%–20%, on a time scale of ∼1 d. Based on these X-ray properties obtained with the MAXI/GSC, with additional information from the Swift/BAT, we discuss the evolution of the spectral state of this source, and give constraints on its system parameters.

Simultaneous Multiwavelength Observations of V404 Cygni during its 2015 June Outburst Decay Strengthen the Case for an Extremely Energetic Jet-base

Abstract We present results of multiband optical photometry of the black hole X-ray binary system V404 Cyg obtained using Wheaton College Observatory’s 0.3 m telescope, along with strictly simultaneous INTEGRAL and Swift observations during 2015 June 25.15–26.33 UT, and 2015 June 27.10–27.34 UT. These observations were made during the 2015 June outburst of the source when it was going through an epoch of violent activity in all wavelengths ranging from radio to γ-rays. The multiwavelength variability timescale favors a compact emission region, most likely originating in a jet outflow, for both observing epochs presented in this work. The simultaneous INTEGRAL/Imager on Board the Integral Satellite (IBIS) 20–40 keV light curve obtained during the June 27 observing run correlates very strongly with the optical light curve, with no detectable delay between the optical bands as well as between the optical and hard X-rays. The average slope of the dereddened spectral energy distribution was roughly flat between the - and V-bands during the June 27 run, even though the optical and X-ray flux varied by &gt;25× during the run, ruling out an irradiation origin for the optical and suggesting that the optically thick to optically thin jet synchrotron break during the observations was at a frequency larger than that of V-band, which is quite extreme for X-ray binaries. These observations suggest that the optical emission originated very close to the base of the jet. A strong emission line, probably originating in a quasi-spherical nebula around the source, also contributes significantly in the R C -band. Our data, in conjunction with contemporaneous data at other wavelengths presented by other groups, strongly suggest that the jet-base was extremely compact and energetic during this phase of the outburst.

The X-ray decay of the ultraluminous supernova SN 1978K in NGC 1313

The Type IIn supernova (SN) 1978K in the nearby galaxy NGC 1313 has remained bright in multiwavelengths for more than $\sim 25$ yr. The archival data of SN 1978K collected with ROSAT, ASCA, XMM-Newton, and Chandra from 1990 to 2006 show no significant variation of the soft X-ray emission but a hint of flux decrease in hard X-rays. In this work, we perform a detailed analysis using more than 15 yr of XMM-Newton observations. Both the 0.5-2 keV and 2-10 keV light-curves decline as $t^{-1}$ from 2000 to 2015. The transition of light curve profiles can be explained in a way that the reverse shock was radiative at an early phase and then became adiabatic at late times. Such a scenario is also supported by the spectral analysis results. We also found a decrease in the absorption column density, which indicates the presence of a cool shell during the radiative phase.