Transient Anomalous X-ray Pulsar Research Articles

The 2018 X-Ray and Radio Outburst of Magnetar XTE J1810–197

Abstract We present the earliest X-ray observations of the 2018 outburst of XTE J1810−197, the first outburst since its 2003 discovery as the prototypical transient and radio-emitting anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP). The Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI) detected XTE J1810−197 immediately after a November 20–26 visibility gap, contemporaneous with its reactivation as a radio pulsar, first observed on December 8. On December 13 the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) detected X-ray emission up to at least 30 keV, with a spectrum well-characterized by a blackbody plus power-law model with temperature kT = 0.74 ± 0.02 keV and photon index Γ = 4.4 ± 0.2 or by a two-blackbody model with kT = 0.59 ± 0.04 keV and kT = 1.0 ± 0.1 keV, both including an additional power-law component to account for emission above 10 keV, with Γ h = −0.2 ± 1.5 and Γ h = 1.5 ± 0.5, respectively. The latter index is consistent with hard X-ray flux reported for the nontransient magnetars. In the 2–10 keV bandpass, the absorbed flux is 2 × 10−10 erg s−1 cm−2, a factor of 2 greater than the maximum flux extrapolated for the 2003 outburst. The peak of the sinusoidal X-ray pulse lags the radio pulse by ≈0.13 cycles, consistent with their phase relationship during the 2003 outburst. This suggests a stable geometry in which radio emission originates on magnetic field lines containing currents that heat a spot on the neutron star surface. However, a measured energy-dependent phase shift of the pulsed X-rays suggests that all X-ray emitting regions are not precisely coaligned.

ON THE X-RAY OUTBURSTS OF TRANSIENT ANOMALOUS X-RAY PULSARS AND SOFT GAMMA-RAY REPEATERS

We show that the X-ray outburst light curves of four transient anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) and soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs), namely XTE J1810-197, SGR 0501+4516, SGR 1627-41 and CXOU J164710.2-455216, can be produced by the fallback disk model that was also applied to the outburst light curves of persistent AXPs and SGRs in our earlier work. The model solves the diffusion equation for the relaxation of a disk which has been pushed back by a soft gamma-ray burst. The sets of main disk parameters used for these transient sources are very similar to each other and to those employed in our earlier models of persistent AXPs and SGRs. There is a characteristic difference between the X-ray outburst light curves of transient and persistent sources. This can be explained by the differences in the disk surface-density profiles of the transient and persistent sources in quiescence indicated by their quiescent X-ray luminosities. Our results imply that a viscous disk instability operating at a critical temperature in ~ 1300 - 2800 K range is a common property of all fallback disks around AXPs and SGRs. The effect of the instability is more pronounced and starts earlier for the sources with lower quiescent luminosities, which leads to the observable differences in the X-ray enhancement light curves of transient and persistent sources. A single active disk model with the same basic disk parameters can account for the enhancement phases of both transient and persistent AXPs and SGRs. We also present a detailed parameter study to show the effects of disk parameters on the evolution of the X-ray luminosity of AXPs and SGRs in the X-ray enhancement phases.

Multi-instrument X-ray monitoring of the January 2009 outburst from the recurrent magnetar candidate 1E 1547.0-5408

With two consecutive outbursts recorded in four months (October 2008 and January 2009), and a possible third outburst in 2007, 1E 1547.0-5408 is one of the most active transient anomalous X-ray pulsars known so far. Thanks to extensive X-ray observations, obtained both in the quiescent and active states, 1E 1547.0-5408 represents a very promising laboratory to get insights into the outburst properties and magnetar emission mechanisms. We performed a detailed timing and spectral analysis of four Chandra, three INTEGRAL, and one XMM observations collected over a two week interval after the outburst onset in January 2009. Several Swift pointings, covering a 1.5 year interval, were also analyzed in order to monitor the decay of the X-ray flux. We compare the characteristics of the two outbursts, as well as those of the active and quiescent states. We also discuss the long-term X-ray flux history of 1E 1547.0-5408 since its first detection in 1980, and show that the source displays three flux levels: low, intermediate and high.

A UNIFIED TIMING AND SPECTRAL MODEL FOR THE ANOMALOUS X-RAY PULSARS XTE J1810–197 AND CXOU J164710.2–455216

Anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) and soft gamma repeaters (SGRs) are two small classes of X-ray sources strongly suspected to host a magnetar, i.e. an ultra-magnetized neutron star with $B\approx 10^14-10^15 G. Many SGRs/AXPs are known to be variable, and recently the existence of genuinely "transient" magnetars was discovered. Here we present a comprehensive study of the pulse profile and spectral evolution of the two transient AXPs (TAXPs) XTE J1810-197 and CXOU J164710.2-455216. Our analysis was carried out in the framework of the twisted magnetosphere model for magnetar emission. Starting from 3D Monte Carlo simulations of the emerging spectrum, we produced a large database of synthetic pulse profiles which was fitted to observed lightcurves in different spectral bands and at different epochs. This allowed us to derive the physical parameters of the model and their evolution with time, together with the geometry of the two sources, i.e. the inclination of the line-of-sight and of the magnetic axis with respect to the rotation axis. We then fitted the (phase-averaged) spectra of the two TAXPs at different epochs using a model similar to that used to calculate the pulse profiles ntzang in XSPEC) freezing all parameters to the values obtained from the timing analysis, and leaving only the normalization free to vary. This provided acceptable fits to XMM-Newton data in all the observations we analyzed. Our results support a picture in which a limited portion of the star surface close to one of the magnetic poles is heated at the outburst onset. The subsequent evolution is driven both by the cooling/varying size of the heated cap and by a progressive untwisting of the magnetosphere.

ON THE EVOLUTION OF ANOMALOUS X-RAY PULSARS AND SOFT GAMMA-RAY REPEATERS WITH FALL BACK DISKS

We show that the period clustering of anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) and soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs), their X-ray luminosities, ages, and statistics can be explained with fall back disks with large initial specific angular momentum. The disk evolution models are developed by comparison to self-similar analytical models. The initial disk mass and angular momentum set the viscous timescale. An efficient torque, with (1 − ω2*) dependence on the fastness parameter ω*, leads to period clustering in the observed AXP–SGR period range under a wide range of initial conditions. The timescale t0 for the early evolution of the fall back disk, and the final stages of fall back disk evolution, when the disk becomes passive, are the crucial determinants of the evolution. The disk becomes passive at temperatures around 100 K, which provides a natural cutoff for the X-ray luminosity and defines the end of evolution in the observable AXP and SGR phase. This low value for the minimum temperature for active disk turbulence indicates that the fall back disks are active up to a large radius, ≳1012 cm. We find that transient AXPs and SGRs are likely to be older than their persistent cousins. A fall back disk with mass transfer rates corresponding to the low quiescent X-ray luminosities of the transient sources in early evolutionary phases would have a relatively lower initial mass, such that the mass-flow rate in the disk is not sufficient for the inner disk to penetrate into the light cylinder of the young neutron star, making mass accretion onto the neutron star impossible. The transient AXP phase therefore must start later. The model results imply that the transient AXP/SGRs, although older, are likely to be similar in number to persistent sources. This is because the X-ray luminosities of AXPs and SGRs are found to decrease faster at the end of their evolution, and the X-ray luminosities of transient AXP and SGRs in quiescence lie in the luminosity range of X-ray cutoff phase. Taking the range of quiescent X-ray luminosities of transient AXPs and SGRs ∼1033–1034 erg s−1, our simulations imply that the duration of the cutoff phase is comparable to the lifetime in the persistent phase for a large range of initial conditions.

Resonant Cyclotron Scattering in Magnetars’ Emission

We present a systematic fit of a model of resonant cyclotron scattering (RCS) to the X-ray data of 10 magnetars, including canonical and transient anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) and soft gamma repeaters (SGRs). In this scenario, nonthermal magnetar spectra in the soft X-rays (i.e., below ~10 keV) result from resonant cyclotron scattering of the thermal surface emission by hot magnetospheric plasma. We find that this model can successfully account for the soft X-ray emission of magnetars, while using the same number of free parameters as in the commonly used empirical blackbody plus power-law model. However, while the RCS model can alone reproduce the soft X-ray spectra of AXPs, the much harder spectra of SGRs below 10 keV require the addition of a power-law component (the latter being the same component responsible for their hard X-ray emission). Although this model in its present form does not explain the hard X-ray emission (i.e., above ~20 keV) of a few of these sources, we took this further component into account in our modeling not to overlook its contribution in the ~4-10 keV band. We find that the entire class of sources is characterized by magnetospheric plasma with a density which, at resonant radius, is about 3 orders of magnitude higher than the Goldreich-Julian electron density. The inferred values of the intervening hydrogen column densities are also in better agreement with more recent estimates. Although the treatment of the magnetospheric scattering used here is only approximated, its successful application to all magnetars shows that the RCS model is capable of catching the main features of the spectra observed below ~10 keV.

Radio spectrum of the AXP J1810−197 and of its profile components

As part of a European Pulsar Network (EPN) multi-telescope observing campaign, we performed simultaneous multi-frequency observations at 1.4, 4.9 and 8.4 GHz during July 2006 and quasi-simultaneous multi-frequency observations from Decem- ber 2006 until July 2007 at 2.7, 4.9, 8.4, 14.6 and 32 GHz, in order to obtain flux density measurements and spectral features of the 5.5-sec radio-emitting magnetar AXP J1810-197. We monitored the spectral evolution of its pulse shape which consists of a main pulse (MP) and an interpulse (IP). We present the flux density spectrum of the average profile and of the separate pulse components of this first-known radio-emitting transient anomalous X-ray pulsar. We observe a decrease of the flux density by a factor of 10 within 8 months and follow the disappearance of one of the two main components. Although the spectrum is generally flat, we observe large fluctuations of the spectral index with time. For that reason we have made some measurements of modulation indices for individual pulses in order to also investigate the origin of these fluctuations.

Constraints on the Emission and Viewing Geometry of the Transient Anomalous X‐Ray Pulsar XTE J1810−197

The temporal decay of the flux components of Transient Anomalous X-ray Pulsar XTE J1810-197 following its 2002 outburst presents a unique opportunity to probe the emission geometry of a magnetar. Toward this goal, we model the magnitude of the pulsar's modulation in narrow spectral bands over time. Following previous work, we assume that the post-outburst flux is produced in two distinct thermal components arising from a hot spot and a warm concentric ring. We include general relativistic effects on the blackbody spectra due to gravitational redshift and light bending near the stellar surface, which strongly depend on radius. This affects the model fits for the temperature and size of the emission regions. For the hot spot, the observed temporal and energy-dependent pulse modulation is found to require an anisotropic, pencil-beamed radiation pattern. We are able to constrain an allowed range for the angles that the line-of-sight (psi) and the hot spot pole (xi) make with respect to the spin-axis. Within errors, this is defined by the locus of points in the xi-psi plane that lie along the line (xi+beta(R))(psi+beta(R)) ~ constant, where beta(R) is a function of the radius R of the star. For a canonical value of R=12 km, the viewing parameters range from psi=xi=37 deg to (psi,xi)=(85 deg,15 deg). We discuss our results in the context of magnetar emission models.

Outburst of the 2 s Anomalous X‐Ray Pulsar 1E 1547.0−5408

Following our discovery of radio pulsations from the newly recognized anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) 1E 1547.0–5408, we initiated X-ray monitoring with the Swift X-ray telescope and obtained a single target-of-opportunity observation with the Newton X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton). In comparison with its historic minimum flux of 3 × 10−13 ergs cm−2 s−1, the source was found to be in a record high state, fX(1–8 keV) = 5 × 10−12 ergs cm−2 s−1, or LX = 1.7 × 1035(d/9 kpc)2 ergs s−1, and declining by 25% in 1 month. Extrapolating the decay, we bound the total energy in this outburst to 1042 ergs < E < 1043 ergs. The spectra (fitted with a Comptonized blackbody) show that an increase in the temperature and area of a hot region, to 0.5 keV and ~16% of the surface area of the neutron star, respectively, are primarily responsible for its increase in luminosity. The energy, spectrum, and timescale of decay are consistent with a deep crustal heating event, similar to an interpretation of the X-ray turn-on of the transient AXP XTE J1810–197. Simultaneous with the 4.6 hr XMM-Newton observation, we observed at 6.4 GHz with the Parkes telescope, measuring the phase relationship of the radio and X-ray pulse. The X-ray pulsed fraction of 1E 1547.0–5408 is only ~7%, while its radio pulse is relatively broad for such a slow pulsar, which may indicate a nearly aligned rotator. As also inferred from the transient behavior of XTE J1810–197, the only other AXP known to emit in the radio, the magnetic field rearrangement responsible for this X-ray outburst of 1E 1547.0–5408 is probably the cause of its radio turn-on.

Chandra monitoring of the candidate anomalous X-ray pulsar AX J1845.0-0258

The population of clearly identified anomalous X-ray pulsars has recently grown to seven, however, one candidate anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) still eludes re-confirmation. Here, we present a set of seven Chandra ACIS-S observations of the transient pulsar AX J1845.0-0258, obtained during 2003. Our observations reveal a faint X-ray point source within the ASCA error circle of AX J1845.0-0258’s discovery, which we designate CXOU J184454.6-025653 and tentatively identify as the quiescent AXP. Its spectrum is well described by an absorbed single-component blackbody (kT∼2.0 keV) or power law (Γ∼1.0) that is steady in flux on timescales of at least months, but fainter than AX J1845.0-0258 was during its 1993 period of X-ray enhancement by at least a factor of 13. Compared to the outburst spectrum of AX J1845.0-0258, CXOU J184454.6-025653 is considerably harder: if truly the counterpart, then its spectral behavior is contrary to that seen in the established transient AXP XTE J1810-197, which softened from kT∼0.67 keV to ∼0.18 keV in quiescence. This unexpected result prompts us to examine the possibility that we have observed an unrelated source, and we discuss the implications for AXPs, and magnetars in general.

The anatomy of a magnetar: XMM monitoring of the transient anomalous X-ray pulsar XTE J1810–197

We present the latest results from a multi-epoch timing and spectral study of the Transient Anomalous X-ray Pulsar XTE J1810–197. We have acquired seven observations of this pulsar with the Newton X-ray Multi-mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) over the course of two and a half years, to follow the spectral evolution as the source fades from outburst. The spectrum is arguably best characterized by a two-temperature blackbody whose luminosities are decreasing exponentially with τ 1=870 d and τ 2=280 d, respectively. The temperatures of these components are currently cooling at a rate of 22% per year from a nearly constant value recorded at earlier epochs of kT 1=0.25 keV and kT 2=0.67 keV, respectively. The new data show that the temperature T 1 and luminosity of that component have nearly returned to their historic quiescent levels and that its pulsed fraction, which has steadily decreased with time, is now consistent with the previous lack of detected pulsations in quiescence. We also summarize the detections of radio emission from XTE J1810–197, the first confirmed for any AXP. We consider possible models for the emission geometry and mechanisms of XTE J1810–197.

Correlated Infrared and X-ray variability of the transient Anomalous X-ray Pulsar XTE J1810-197

We report on observations aimed at searching for flux variations from the proposed IR counterpart of the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar (AXP) XTE J1810−197. These data, obtained in March 2004 with the adaptive optics camera NAOS-CONICA at the ESO VLT, show that the candidate proposed by Israel et al. (2004a, ApJ, 603, L97) was fainter by ∆H = 0.7 ± 0.2 and ∆Ks = 0.5 ± 0.1 with respect to October 2003, confirming it as the IR counterpart of XTE J1810−197. We also report on an XMM-Newton observation carried out the day before the VLT observations. The 0.5−10 keV absorbed flux of the source was 2.2 × 10 −11 erg cm −2 s −1 , which is less by a factor of about two compared to the previous XMM-Newton observation on September 2003. Therefore, we conclude that a similar flux decrease took place in the X-ray and IR bands. We briefly discuss these results in the framework of the proposed mechanism(s) responsible for the IR variable emission of AXPs.

Imaging X‐Ray, Optical, and Infrared Observations of the Transient Anomalous X‐Ray Pulsar XTE J1810−197

We report X-ray imaging, timing, and spectral studies of XTE J1810-197, a 5.54 s pulsar discovered by Ibrahim and coworkers in recent Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observations. In a set of short exposures with the High Resolution Camera on board the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, we detect a strongly modulated signal (55% ± 4% pulsed fraction) with the expected period located at (J2000) 18h09m5108, -19°43'517, with a uncertainty radius of 06 (90% confidence level). Spectra obtained with XMM-Newton are well fitted by a two-component model that typically describes anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs), an absorbed blackbody plus power law with parameters kT = 0.67 ± 0.01 keV, Γ = 3.7 ± 0.2, NH = (1.05 ± 0.05) × 1022 cm-2, and FX(0.5-10 keV) = 3.98 × 10-11 ergs cm-2 s-1. Alternatively, a two-temperature blackbody fit is just as acceptable. The location of CXOU J180951.0-194351 is consistent with a point source seen in archival Einstein, ROSAT, and ASCA images, when its flux was nearly 2 orders of magnitude fainter, and from which no pulsations are found. The spectrum changed dramatically between the quiescent and active states; the former can be modeled as a softer blackbody. Using XMM-Newton timing data, we place an upper limit of 0.03 lt-s on any orbital motion in the period range 10 minutes-8 hr. Optical and infrared images obtained on the SMARTS 1.3 m telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) show no object in the Chandra error circle to limits V = 22.5, I = 21.3, J = 18.9, and K = 17.5. Together, these results argue that CXOU J180951.0-194351 is an isolated neutron star, one most similar to the transient AXP AX J1844.8-0256. Continuing study of XTE J1810-197 in various states of luminosity is important for understanding and possibly unifying a growing class of isolated, young neutron stars that are not powered by rotation.