Time-resolved Spectral Analysis Research Articles

Competitive adsorption of gaseous acetic acid, ethanol and acetaldehyde onto wool powder

Natural resources are highly cost-effective adsorbents to reduce the indoor air pollution. However, there is a lack of understanding how the presence of several odor types affect their adsorption behavior. This study systematically investigates the adsorption selectivity and capacity of wool powder towards three typical odor types (acetic acid, ethanol and acetaldehyde) under single, binary and ternary systems through time-resolved spectral analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Wool powder showed different adsorption capacities for selected odor types in the single-component system. These findings were further manifested by DFT calculations to confirm the adsorption energy and surface adsorption sites between wool powder and odors. Acetic acid showed the highest competitivity among the tested odor types, followed by ethanol, which could be attributed to its high molecular weight and strong adsorption energy. This work provides new insights into adsorption mechanisms through adsorption energy analysis, promoting the application of natural proteaceous adsorbents.

Concise Spectrotemporal Studies of Magnetar SGR J1935+2154 Bursts

SGR J1935+2154 has truly been the most prolific magnetar over the last decade: it has been entering into burst active episodes once every 1–2 yr since its discovery in 2014, it emitted the first Galactic fast radio burst associated with an X-ray burst in 2020, and it has emitted hundreds of energetic short bursts. Here, we present the time-resolved spectral analysis of 51 bright bursts from SGR J1935+2154. Unlike conventional time-resolved X-ray spectroscopic studies in the literature, we follow a two-step approach to probe true spectral evolution. For each burst, we first extract spectral information from overlapping time segments, fit them with three continuum models, and employ a machine-learning-based clustering algorithm to identify time segments that provide the largest spectral variations during each burst. We then extract spectra from those nonoverlapping (clustered) time segments and fit them again with the three models: the cutoff power-law model, the sum of two blackbody functions, and the model considering the emission of a modified blackbody undergoing resonant cyclotron scattering, which is applied systematically at this scale for the first time. Our novel technique allowed us to establish the genuine spectral evolution of magnetar bursts. We discuss the implications of our results and compare their collective behavior with the average burst properties of other magnetars.

The dispersion of the Ep, i–Liso correlation of long gamma-ray bursts is partially due to assembling different sources

Context. Long gamma-ray burst (GRB) prompt emission shows a correlation between the intrinsic peak energy, Ep, i, of the time-average νFν spectrum and the isotropic-equivalent peak gamma-ray luminosity, Lp, iso, as well as the total released energy, Eiso. The same correlation is found within individual bursts, when time-resolved Ep, i and Liso are considered. These correlations are characterised by an intrinsic dispersion, whose origin is still unknown. Discovering the origin of the correlation and of its dispersion would shed light on the still poorly understood prompt emission and would propel GRBs to powerful standard candles. Aims. We studied the dispersion of both isotropic-equivalent and collimation-corrected time-resolved correlations. We also investigated whether the intrinsic dispersion computed within individual GRBs is different from that obtained including different bursts into a unique sample. We then searched for correlations between key features, such as the Lorentz factor and jet opening angle, and intrinsic dispersion, when the latter is treated as one of the characterising properties. Methods. We performed a time-resolved spectral analysis of 20 long type-II or collapsar-candidate GRBs detected by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor with a known redshift and estimates of the jet opening angle and/or the Lorentz factor. Time intervals were determined using Bayesian blocks. Then we carried out a statistical analysis starting from distributions of simulated values of the intrinsic dispersion of each burst in the sample. Results. The collimation-corrected correlation appears to be no less dispersed than the isotropic-equivalent one. Also, individual GRBs are significantly less dispersed than the whole sample. We excluded (at a 4.2σ confidence level) the difference in samples’ sizes as the possible reason, thus confirming that individual GRBs are intrinsically less dispersed than the whole sample. No correlation was found between intrinsic dispersion and other key properties for the few GRBs with available information. Conclusions. The contribution to the dispersion by the jet opening angle is not relevant. Moreover, our results prove that the intrinsic dispersion that affects the Ep, i − Liso correlation is partially, though not entirely, due to assembling different GRBs. We therefore conclude that the presence of different GRBs significantly contributes to the observed dispersion of both time-average Ep, i − Lp, iso and Ep, i − Eiso correlations.

Spectral and type I X-ray burst studies of 4U 1702−429 using AstroSat observations

ABSTRACT 4U 1702−429, an atoll-type neutron star low-mass X-ray binary, was observed twice by the AstroSat/Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) and Large Area X-ray Proportional Counters (LAXPC-20) on 2018 April 27 and 2019 August 8. Persistent emission spectra of the source were well fitted with the model combination - constant × tbabs (thcomp × diskbb+powerlaw). The parameters obtained from the spectral analysis revealed the source to be in a hard spectral state during the observations. Time-resolved spectral analyses were performed on the three type I X-ray bursts detected from the source. Burst analysis showed that the source underwent a photospheric radius expansion. Consequently, the radius of the neutron star and distance to the source (with isotropic and anisotropic burst emission) were obtained as 12.65$\substack{+0.90\\-0.86}$ km and 6.92$\substack{+0.16\\-0.09}$ and 8.43$\substack{+0.20\\-0.10}$ kpc, respectively.

Time-resolved Spectral Properties of Fermi-GBM Bright Long Gamma-Ray Bursts

The prompt emission mechanism of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is still unclear, and the time-resolved spectral analysis of GRBs is a powerful tool for studying their underlying physical processes. We performed a detailed time-resolved spectral analysis of 78 bright long GRB samples detected by Fermi/Gamma-ray Burst Monitor. A total of 1490 spectra were obtained and their properties were studied using a typical Band-shape model. First, the parameter distributions of the time-resolved spectrum are given as follows: the low-energy spectral index α ∼ − 0.72, high-energy spectral index β ∼ − 2.42, the peak energy E p ∼ 221.69 keV, and the energy flux F ∼ 7.49 × 10−6 erg cm−2 s−1. More than 80% of the bursts exhibit the hardest low-energy spectral index αmax exceeding the synchrotron limit (−2/3). Second, the evolution patterns of α and E p were statistically analyzed. The results show that for multi-pulse GRBs the intensity-tracking pattern is more common than the hard-to-soft pattern in the evolution of both E p and α. The hard-to-soft pattern is generally shown in single-pulse GRBs or in the initial pulse of multi-pulse GRBs. Finally, we found a significant positive correlation between F and E p, with half of the samples exhibiting a positive correlation between F and α. We discussed the spectral evolution of different radiation models. The diversity of spectral evolution patterns indicates that there may be more than one radiation mechanism occurring in the GRB radiation process, including photospheric radiation and synchrotron radiation. However, it may also involve only one radiation mechanism, but more complicated physical details need to be considered.

A spectral study of GRS 1915+105 during its March 2017 NuSTAR observations

ABSTRACT The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array Mission (NuSTAR) observed the enigmatic microquasar GRS 1915+105 twice, on 2017 March 26 and 28. Using these NuSTAR observations, we performed a time-resolved spectral analysis. We detected a type C quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) along with the harmonic and the sub-harmonic in both epochs. From our spectral modelling, we found a dual reflection component, where one of the components comes from the hot inner flow and the second component originates from the exterior region of the accretion disc. Additionally, we found strong, highly ionized accretion disc winds as indicated by Fe xxv (on 2017 March 26) and Fe xxvi (on 2017 March 28) absorption lines, likely ultrafast outflows. Finally, at the end of the second observation, we detected variability class, which marked the onset of heartbeat oscillations in the X-ray light curve. We perform time-resolved spectral analysis to comprehend the physical conditions responsible for the onset of the heartbeat. We found that the accretion disc became highly ionized (log ξ > 4), and the high-energy cut-off showed some signs of increase, approaching >100 keV before the onset of the heartbeat class. We have not detected any signature of accretion disc instabilities thought to cause the heartbeat oscillations. We also found a strong positive correlation between the QPO frequency and the power-law index.

NICER Observations of Thermonuclear Bursts from 4U 1728-34: Detection of Oscillations prior to the Onset of Two Bursts

We present temporal and time-resolved spectral analyses of all the thermonuclear X-ray bursts observed from the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1728−34 with NICER from 2017 June to 2019 September. In total, we detected 11 X-ray bursts from the source and performed time-resolved spectroscopy. Unlike some of the earlier results for other bursting sources from NICER, our spectral results indicate that the use of a scaling factor for the persistent emission is not statistically necessary. This is primarily a result of the strong interstellar absorption in the line of sight toward 4U 1728−34, which causes the count rates to be significantly lower at low energies. We also searched for burst oscillations and detected modulations in six different bursts at around the previously known burst oscillation frequency of 363 Hz. Finally, we report the detection of oscillations prior to two bursts at 356 and 359 Hz, respectively. This is the first time in the literature where burst oscillations are detected before the rapid rise in X-ray flux, from any known burster. These oscillations disappear as soon as the burst starts to rise and occur at a somewhat lower frequency than the oscillations we detect during the bursts.

AGILE Gamma-Ray Detection of the Exceptional GRB 221009A

Gamma-ray emission in the MeV–GeV range from explosive cosmic events is of invaluable relevance to understanding physical processes related to the formation of neutron stars and black holes. Here we report on the detection by the AGILE satellite in the MeV–GeV energy range of the remarkable long-duration gamma-ray burst GRB 221009A. The AGILE onboard detectors have good exposure to GRB 221009A during its initial crucial phases. Hard X-ray/MeV emission in the prompt phase lasted hundreds of seconds, with the brightest radiation being emitted between 200 and 300 s after the initial trigger. Very intense GeV gamma-ray emission is detected by AGILE in the prompt and early afterglow phase up to 10,000 s. Time-resolved spectral analysis shows time-variable MeV-peaked emission simultaneous with intense power-law GeV radiation that persists in the afterglow phase. The coexistence during the prompt phase of very intense MeV emission together with highly nonthermal and hardening GeV radiation is a remarkable feature of GRB 221009A. During the prompt phase, the event shows spectrally different MeV and GeV emissions that are most likely generated by physical mechanisms occurring in different locations. AGILE observations provide crucial flux and spectral gamma-ray information regarding the early phases of GRB 221009A during which emission in the TeV range was reported.

Spectral analysis of the LMXB XTE J1810−189 with NICER data

ABSTRACT X-ray Timing Explorer J1810−189 is a low-mass X-ray binary transient system hosting a neutron star, which underwent a three-month-long outburst in 2020. In order to study its spectral evolution during this outburst, we analysed all the available observations performed by Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, in the 1–10 keV energy band. First, we fitted the spectra with a thermal Comptonization model. Our analysis revealed the lack of a significant direct emission from a blackbody-like component, therefore we calculated the optical depth of the Comptonizing region, deriving an upper limit of 4.5, which suggests the presence of a moderately thick corona. We also attempted to fit the spectrum with an alternative model, i.e. a cold Comptonized emission from a disc and a direct thermal component from the neutron star, finding a similarly good fit. The source did not enter a full high luminosity/soft state throughout the outburst, with a photon index ranging from ∼1.7 to ∼2.2, and an average unabsorbed flux in the 1–10 keV band of ∼3.6 × 10−10 erg cm−2 s−1. We searched for the presence of Fe K-shell emission lines in the range ∼6.4–7 keV, significantly detecting a broad component only in a couple of observations. Finally, we conducted a time-resolved spectral analysis of the detected type-I X-ray burst, observed during the outburst, finding no evidence of a photospheric radius expansion. The type-I burst duration suggests a mix of H/He fuel.

Evoked responses to single pulse electrical stimulation reveal impaired striatal excitability in a rat model of Parkinson's disease

BackgroundSensorimotor beta oscillations are increased in Parkinson's disease (PD) due to the alteration of dopaminergic transmission. This electrophysiological read-out is reported both in patients and in animal models such as the 6-OHDA rat model obtained with unilateral nigral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Current treatments, based on dopaminergic replacement, transiently normalize this pathological beta activity and improve patients' quality of life. ObjectivesWe wanted to assess in vivo whether the abnormal beta oscillations can be correlated with impaired striatal or cortical excitability of the sensorimotor system and modulated by the pharmacological manipulation of the dopaminergic system. MethodsIn the unilateral 6-OHDA rat model and control animals, we used intra-striatal and intra-cortical single-pulse electrical stimulation (SPES) and concurrent local field potentials (LFP) recordings. In the two groups, we quantified basal cortico-striatal excitability from time-resolved spectral analyses of LFP evoked responses induced remotely by intracerebral stimulations. The temporal dependance of cortico-striatal excitability to dopaminergic transmission was further tested using electrophysiological recordings combined with levodopa injection. ResultsLFP evoked responses after striatal stimulation showed a transient reduction of power in a large time-frequency domain in the 6-OHDA group compared to the sham group. This result was specific to the striatum, as no significant difference was observed in cortical LFP evoked responses between the two groups. This impaired striatal excitability in the 6-OHDA group was observed in the striatum at least during the first 3 months after the initial lesion. In addition, the striatum responses to SPES during a levodopa challenge showed a transient potentiation of the decrease of responsiveness in frequencies below 40 Hz. ConclusionThe spectral properties of striatal responses to SPES show high sensitivity to dopaminergic transmission in the unilateral 6-OHDA rat model. We thus propose that this approach could be used in preclinical models as a time-resolved biomarker of impaired dopaminergic transmission capable of monitoring progressive neurodegeneration and/or challenges to drug intake.

Observing the onset of the accretion wake in Vela X-1

High-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) offer a unique opportunity to investigate accretion onto compact objects and the wind structure in massive stars. A key source for such studies is the bright neutron star HMXB Vela X-1 whose convenient physical and orbital parameters facilitate analyses and in particular enable studies of the wind structure in HMXBs. Here, we analyse simultaneous XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations at ϕorb ≈ 0.36–0.52 and perform time-resolved spectral analysis down to the pulse period of the neutron star based on our previous NuSTAR-only results. For the first time, we are able to trace the onset of the wakes in a broad 0.5–78 keV range with a high-time resolution of ~283 s and compare our results with theoretical predictions. We observe a clear rise in the absorption column density of the stellar wind NH,1 starting at orbital phase ~0.44, corresponding to the wake structure entering our line of sight towards the neutron star, together with local extrema throughout the observation, which are possibly associated with clumps or other structures in the wind. Periods of high absorption reveal the presence of multiple fluorescent emission lines of highly ionised species, mainly in the soft-X-ray band between 0.5 and 4 keV, indicating photoionisation of the wind.

Temporal and Spectral Evolution of Gamma-Ray Burst Broad Pulses: Identification of High-latitude Emission in the Prompt Emission

We perform a detailed analysis of broad pulses in bright gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) to understand the evolution of GRB broad pulses. Using the temporal and spectral properties, we test the high-latitude emission (HLE) scenario in the decaying phase of broad pulses. The HLE originates from the curvature effect of a relativistic spherical jet, where higher-latitude photons are delayed and softer than the observer’s line-of-sight emission. The signature of HLE has not yet been identified undisputedly during the prompt emission of GRBs. The HLE theory predicts a specific relation, ∝ , between the peak energy E p in ν F ν spectra and the spectral flux F ν measured at E p , . We search for evidence of this relation in 2157 GRBs detected by the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope from 2008 to 2017. After imposing unbiased selection criteria in order to minimize contamination in a signal by background and overlaps of pulses, we build a sample of 32 broad pulses in 32 GRBs. We perform a time-resolved spectral analysis on each of these 32 broad pulses and find that the evolution of 18 pulses (56%) is clearly consistent with the HLE relation. For the 18 broad pulses, the exponent δ in the relation of ∝ E p δ is distributed as a Gaussian function with a median and width of 1.99 and 0.34, respectively. This result provides a constraint on the emission radius of GRBs with the HLE signature.

A hard look at the X-ray spectral variability of NGC 7582

ABSTRACT NGC 7582 (z = 0.005264; D = 22.5 Mpc) is a highly variable, changing-look AGN. In this work, we explore the X-ray properties of this source using XMM–Newton and NuSTAR archival observations in the 3 – 40 keV range, from 2001 to 2016. NGC 7582 exhibits a long-term variability between observations but also a short-term variability in two observations that has not been studied before. To study the variability, we perform a time-resolved spectral analysis using a phenomenological model and a physically motivated model (uxclumpy). The spectral fitting is achieved using a nested sampling Monte Carlo method. uxclumpy enables testing various geometries of the absorber that may fit AGN spectra. We find that the best model is composed of a fully covering clumpy absorber. From this geometry, we estimate the velocity, size, and distance of the clumps. The column density of the absorber in the line of sight varies from Compton-thin to Compton-thick between observations. Variability over the time-scale of a few tens of kiloseconds is also observed within two observations. The obscuring clouds are consistent with being located at a distance not larger than 0.6 pc, moving with a transverse velocity exceeding ∼700 km s−1. We could put only a lower limit on the size of the obscuring cloud being larger than 1013 cm. Given the sparsity of the observations, and the limited exposure time per observation available, we cannot determine the exact structure of the obscuring clouds. The results are broadly consistent with comet-like obscuring clouds or spherical clouds with a non-uniform density profile.

Coronal Elemental Abundances During A-Class Solar Flares Observed by Chandrayaan-2 XSM

The abundances of low First Ionisation Potential (FIP) elements are three to four times higher (FIP bias) in the closed loop active corona than in the photosphere, known as the FIP effect. Observations suggest that the abundances vary in different coronal structures. Here, we use the soft X-ray spectroscopic measurements from the Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM) on board the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter to study the FIP effect in multiple A-class flares observed during the minimum of solar cycle 24. Using time-integrated spectral analysis, we derive the average temperature, emission measure, and the abundances of four elements - Mg, Al, Si, and S. We find that the temperature and emission measure scales with the flares sub-class while the measured abundances show an intermediate FIP bias for the lower A-flares (e.g., A1), while for the higher A-flares, the FIP bias is near unity. To investigate it further, we perform a time-resolved spectral analysis for a sample of the A-class flares and examine the evolution of temperature, emission measure, and abundances. We find that the abundances drop from the coronal values towards their photospheric values in the impulsive phase of the flares, and after the impulsive phase, they quickly return to the usual coronal values. The transition of the abundances from the coronal to photospheric values in the impulsive phase of the flares indicates the injection of fresh unfractionated material from the lower solar atmosphere to the corona due to chromospheric evaporation. However, explaining the quick recovery of the abundances from the photospheric to coronal values in the decay phase of the flare is challenging.

Spectro-temporal and type I X-ray burst analysis of GX 3+1 using AstroSat observations

ABSTRACT GX 3+1, an atoll type neutron star low-mass X-ray binary, was observed four times by Soft X-ray Telescope and The Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter on-board AstroSat between 2017 October 5 and 2018 August 9. The hardness-intensity-diagram of the source showed it to be in the soft spectral state during all the four observations. The spectra of the source could be adequately fit with a model consisting of blackbody ($\tt {bbody}$) and power--law ($\tt {powerlaw}$) components. This yielded the blackbody radius and mass accretion rate to be ∼8 km and ∼2 × 10−9 M⊙ y−1, respectively. In one of the observations, a type I X-ray burst having a rise and e-folding time of 0.6 and 5.6 s, respectively, was detected. Time-resolved spectral analysis of the burst showed that the source underwent a photospheric radius expansion. The radius of the emitting blackbody in GX 3+1 and its distance were estimated to be 9.19 $\substack{+0.97\\ -0.82}$ km and 10.17 $\substack{+0.07\\ -0.18}$ kpc, respectively. Temporal analysis of the burst yielded upper limits of the fractional root mean square amplitude of 7${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$, 5${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$, and 6${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ during burst start, burst maximum, and right after the radius expansion phase, respectively.

Prompt Emission and Early Optical Afterglow of Very-high-energy Detected GRB 201015A and GRB 201216C: Onset of the External Forward Shock

We present a detailed prompt emission and early optical afterglow analysis of the two very-high-energy (VHE) detected bursts GRB 201015A and GRB 201216C, and their comparison with a subset of similar bursts. Time-resolved spectral analysis of multistructured GRB 201216C using the Bayesian binning algorithm revealed that during the entire duration of the burst, the low-energy spectral index (α pt) remained below the limit of the synchrotron line of death. However, statistically some of the bins supported the additional thermal component. Additionally, the evolution of spectral parameters showed that both the peak energy (E p) and α pt tracked the flux. These results were further strengthened using the values of the physical parameters obtained by synchrotron modeling of the data. Our earliest optical observations of both bursts using the F/Photometric Robotic Atmospheric Monitor Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos and Burst Observer and Optical Transient Exploring System robotic telescopes displayed a smooth bump in their early optical light curves, consistent with the onset of the afterglow due to synchrotron emission from an external forward shock. Using the observed optical peak, we constrained the initial bulk Lorentz factors of GRB 201015A and GRB 201216C to Γ0 = 204 and Γ0 = 310, respectively. The present early optical observations are the earliest known observations constraining outflow parameters and our analysis indicate that VHE detected bursts could have a diverse range of observed luminosity within the detectable redshift range of present VHE facilities.

Multiwavelength study of the luminous GRB 210619B observed with Fermi and ASIM

ABSTRACT We report on detailed multiwavelength observations and analysis of the very bright and long GRB 210619B, detected by the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor installed on the International Space Station and the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on-board the Fermi mission. Our main goal is to understand the radiation mechanisms and jet composition of GRB 210619B. With a measured redshift of z = 1.937, we find that GRB 210619B falls within the 10 most luminous bursts observed by Fermi so far. The energy-resolved prompt emission light curve of GRB 210619B exhibits an extremely bright hard emission pulse followed by softer/longer emission pulses. The low-energy photon index (αpt) values obtained using the time-resolved spectral analysis of the burst suggest a transition between the thermal (during harder pulse) to non-thermal (during softer pulse) outflow. We examine the correlation between spectral parameters and find that both peak energy and αpt exhibit the flux tracking pattern. The late time broad-band photometric data set can be explained within the framework of the external forward shock model with νm < νc < νx (where νm, νc, and νx are the synchrotron peak, cooling-break, and X-ray frequencies, respectively) spectral regime supporting a rarely observed hard electron energy index (p < 2). We find moderate values of host extinction of E(B − V) = 0.14 ± 0.01 mag for the small magellanic cloud extinction law. In addition, we also report late-time optical observations with the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio de Canarias placing deep upper limits for the host galaxy (z = 1.937), favouring a faint, dwarf host for the burst.

The Spectral Evolution Patterns and Implications of Gamma-Ray Burst X-Ray Flares

We present a time-resolved spectral analysis of bright X-ray flares observed by Swift X-ray telescope from 2004 December to 2021 December. We selected 58 bright flares from 56 gamma-ray burst X-ray afterglows to perform time-resolved spectral analysis. We find that there is a strong spectral evolution in X-ray flares. Spectral evolution exists in all the X-ray flares. We have not found flares without spectral evolutions in our samples. The spectrum of an X-ray afterglow is dominated by the flare when it exists. Four spectral evolution patterns were found, i.e., hard-to-soft, intensity tracking, soft-to-hard, and anti-intensity tracking. Most of the flares (46 flares, 79.3%) show a spectral evolution from hard to soft. Five (8.6%) flares are intensity tracking. Two (3.5%) flares show soft-to-hard. Five (8.6%) flares show anti-intensity tracking. Therefore, hard-to-soft spectral evolution patterns dominate the spectral evolutions of X-ray flares. In other words, the hard-to-soft spectral evolution pattern is the main evolution pattern of X-ray flares. Hard-to-soft, intensity tracking, and soft-to-hard spectral evolution patterns are the same as prompt emission spectral evolutions, indicating that the origin of flares should be the same as prompt emissions and the flares are the lower energy band emissions of the prompt emissions. The spectral evolution intensities are independent of the peak time and FWHM of the flares. In other words, the spectral evolution intensity is irrelevant to the flare occurrence time and its duration but related to the peak fluxes of flares. This means that the more luminous the flares, the stronger the spectral evolutions.

A Study of the Spectral Properties of Two Gamma-Ray Bursts with the Main Bursts and Postbursts

The jet composition in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is still an unsolved issue. We try to provide some clues to the issue by analyzing the spectral properties of GRB 160509A and GRB 130427A with a main burst and a postburst. We first perform Bayesian time-resolved spectral analysis and compare the spectral components and spectral properties of the main bursts and postbursts of the two bursts and find that both bursts have the thermal components, and the thermal components are mainly found in the main bursts, while the postbursts are mainly dominated by the nonthermal components. We also find that the low-energy spectral indices of some time bins in the main bursts of these two GRBs exceed the so-called synchronous dead line, and in the postburst, only GRB 160509A has four time bins exceeding the dead line, while none of GRB 130427A exceed the dead line. We then constrain the outflow properties of both bursts and find that the main bursts is consistent with the typical properties of photosphere radiation. Therefore, our results support the transition of the GRB jet component from the fireball to the Poynting-flux-dominated jet. Finally, after analyzing the correlation and parameter evolution of the spectral parameters of the two bursts, we find that the correlations of the spectral parameters have different behaviors in the main bursts and postbursts. The parameter evolution trends of the main bursts and postbursts also show consistent and inconsistent behavior; therefore, we currently cannot determine whether the main bursts and postbursts come from the same origin.

Peculiar temporal and spectral features in highly obscured HMXB pulsar IGR J16320-4751 using XMM-Newton

IGR J16320-4751 is a highly obscured HMXB source containing a very slow neutron star (Pspin∼1300 sec) orbiting its supergiant companion star with a period of ∼9 days. It shows high column density (NH∼2−5×1023cm−2) in the spectrum, and a large variation in flux along the orbit despite not being an eclipsing source. We report on some peculiar timing and spectral features from archival XMM-Newton observation of this source including 8 observations taken during a single orbit. The pulsar shows large timing variability in terms of average count rate from different observations, flaring activity, sudden changes in count rate, cessation of pulsation, and variable pulse profile even from observations taken a few days apart. We note that IGR J16320-4751 is among a small number of sources for which this temporary cessation of pulsation in the light curve has been observed. A time-resolved spectral analysis around the segment of missing pulse shows that variable absorption is deriving such a behavior in this source. Energy resolved pulse profiles in 6.2–6.6 keV band which has a partial contribution from Fe Kα photons, show strong pulsation. However, a more systematic analysis reveals a flat pulse profile from the contribution of Fe Kα photons in this band implying a symmetric distribution for the material responsible for this emission. Soft excess emission below 3 keV is seen in 6 out of 11 spectra of XMM-Newton observations.