On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ∼ 1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40 − 8 + 8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 M ⊙ . An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ∼ 40 Mpc ) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One-Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ∼10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ∼ 9 and ∼ 16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC 4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta.

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As China's first X-ray astronomical satellite, the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT), which was dubbed as Insight-HXMT after the launch on June 15, 2017, is a wide-band (1-250 keV) slat-collimator-based X-ray astronomy satellite with the

We present a systematic analysis of the phase lags associated with the type-C QPOs in GRS 1915+105 using RXTE data. Our sample comprises of 620 RXTE observations with type-C QPOs ranging from ∼ 0.4 Hz to ∼ 6.3 Hz. Based on our analysis, we confirm that the QPO phase lags decrease with QPO frequency, and change sign from positive to negative at a QPO frequency of ∼ 2 Hz. In addition, we find that the slope of this relation is significantly different between QPOs below and above 2 Hz. The relation between the QPO lags and QPO rms can be well fitted with a broken line: as the QPO lags go from negative to positive, the QPO rms first increases, reaching its maximum at around zero lag, and then decreases. The phase-lag behaviour of the subharmonic of the QPO is similar to that of the QPO fundamental, where the subharmonic lags decrease with subharmonic frequency and change sign from positive to negative at a subharmonic frequency of ∼ 1 Hz; on the contrary, the second harmonic of the QPO shows a quite different phase-lag behaviour, where all the second harmonics show hard lags that remain more or less constant. For both the QPO and its (sub)harmonics, the slope of the lag-energy spectra shows a similar evolution with frequency as the average phase lags. This suggests that the lag-energy spectra drives the average phase lags. We discuss the possibility for the change in lag sign, and the physical origin of the QPO lags.

In this paper we present the enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry mission. eXTP is a space science mission designed to study fundamental physics under extreme conditions of density, gravity and magnetism. The mission aims at determining the equation of state of matter at supra-nuclear density, measuring effects of QED, and understanding the dynamics of matter in strong-field gravity. In addition to investigating fundamental physics, eXTP will be a very powerful observatory for astrophysics that will provide observations of unprecedented quality on a variety of galactic and extragalactic objects. In particular, its wide field monitoring capabilities will be highly instrumental to detect the electro-magnetic counterparts of gravitational wave sources. The paper provides a detailed description of: 1) The technological and technical aspects, and the expected performance of the instruments of the scientific payload; 2) The elements and functions of the mission, from the spacecraft to the ground segment.X-ray instrumentation, X-ray Polarimetry, X-ray Timing, Space mission: eXTP PACS number(s): 95.55. Ka, 95.85.Nv, 95.75.Hi, 97.60.Jd, 97.60.Lf

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Abstract. The transient X-ray accreting millisecond pulsar XTE J1807−294 was observed during its February/March 2003 outburst by INTEGRAL, partly simultaneously with the XMM-Newton and RXTE satellites. We present here the first study of the 0.5−200 keV broad-band spectra of the source. On February 28, the source spectrum was consistent with thermal Comptonization by electrons of temperature ∼40 keV, considerably higher than the value (∼10 keV) previously derived from the low energy XMM-Newton data alone. The source is detected by INTEGRAL up to 200 keV with a luminosity in the energy band (0.1−200) keV of 1.3 × 10 37 erg s −1 (assuming a distance of 8 kpc). 22 days later the luminosity dropped to 3.6 × 10 36 erg s −1 . A re-analysis of XMM-Newton data yields the orbital Doppler variations of the pulse period and refines the previous ephemeris. For this source, with shortest orbital period of any known binary radio or X-ray millisecond pulsar, we constrain the companion mass M c < 0.022 M , assuming minimum mass transfer driven by gravitational radiation. Only evolved dwarfs with a C/O composition are consistent with the Roche lobe and gravitational radiation constraints, while He dwarfs require an unlikely low inclination.

The milestone of GW 170817-GRB 170817A-AT 2017gfo 1 has shown that gravitational wave (GW) is produced during the merger of neutron star-neutron star/black hole and that in electromagnetic (EM) wave a gamma-ray burst (GRB) and a kilonovae (KN) are generated in sequence after the merger. Observationally, however, EM property during a merger is still unclear. Here we report a peculiar precursor in a KN-associated long GRB 211211A. The duration of the precursor is ∼ 0.2 s, and the waiting time between the precursor and the main emission (ME) of the burst is ∼ 1 s, which is about the same as the time interval between GW 170817 and GRB 170817A. Quasi-Periodic Oscillations (QPO) with frequency ∼22 Hz (at > 5σ significance) are found throughout the precursor, the first detection of periodic signals from any bona fide GRBs. This indicates most likely that a magnetar participated in the merger, and the precursor might be produced due to a catastrophic flare accompanying with torsional or crustal oscillations of the magnetar. The strong seed magnetic field of ∼ 10 14−15 G at the surface of the magnetar may also account for the prolonged duration of GRB 211211A. However, it is a challenge to reconcile the rather short lifetime of a magnetar