The discovery of rapidly repetitive X-ray bursts from a new source in Scorpius

Lewin, W. H. G.; Doty, J.; Clark, G. W.; Rappaport, S.; Bradt, H.; Doxsey, R.; Hearn, D. R.; Hoffman, Jeffrey A.; Jernigan, J. G.; Li, F.K.; Mayer, W.; McClintock, J. E.; Primini, F. A.; Richardson, J. D.

doi:10.1086/182188

Cited by 147 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Bursts can be caused by thermonuclear flashes on the neutron star surface (type I) or the sudden increase of the accretion rates due to disk instability (type II). The flares in J12270 are quite similar to those in the Rapid Burster (Lewin et al 1976), which is the prototypical type II burster, or GRO J1744-28 (Kouveliotou et al 1996). The flares in these sources commonly show the repetition of short flares, the flux amplification by a factor of ∼5 from the quiet level, and the flux decrease immediately after some flares.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Suzaku X-Ray Study of an Anomalous Source XSS J12270–4859

Saitou

Tsujimoto

Ebisawa

et al. 2009

Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We report the results of the Suzaku X-ray observation of XSS J12270-4859, one of the hard X-ray sources in the INTEGRAL catalogue. The object has been classified as an intermediate polar (IP) by optical spectra and a putative X-ray period of ∼860 s. With a 30 ks exposure of Suzaku, we obtained a well-exposed spectrum in the 0.2-70 keV band. We conclude against the previous IP classification based on the lack of Fe Kα emission features in the spectrum and the failure to confirm the previously reported X-ray period. Instead, the X-ray light curve is filled with exotic phenomena, including repetitive flares lasting ∼100 s, occasional dips with no apparent periodicities, spectral hardening after some flares, and bimodal changes pivoting between quiet and active phases. The rapid flux changes, the dips, and the power-law spectrum point toward the interpretation that this is a low-mass X-ray binary. Some temporal characteristics are similar to those in the Rapid Burster and GRO J1744-28, making XSS J12270-4859 a very rare object.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Suzaku X-Ray Study of an Anomalous Source XSS J12270–4859

Saitou

Tsujimoto

Ebisawa

et al. 2009

Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…bursts from MXB1728-34 soften in their decay phase as do bursts from numerous other sources (Lewin, 1976a).…”

Section: Jjj Jujuj J^burst From Mxb1728-34mentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Suddenly an astonishing phenomenon appeared in all four detectors which have fields-of-view that overlap in a ~1 deg 2 region around the y-axis. Bursts were detected in rapid fire sequences with separations ranging from ~6 to 400 seconds, and sizes ranging over nearly two orders of magnitude (Lewin, 1976d;Lewin et al 1976a). Typical data are shown in Figure 3.…”

Section: ^1mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The purpose of this review is to give a general account of the status of observations and theories of "bursters" as of August 26, 1976 without attempting to duplicate the comprehensive review prepared recently by Lewin (1976a). -Ten X-ray bursts numbered 1 to 11 ( number 4 missing, presumably due to Earth occultation) observed with modulation collimator detectors on the SAS-3 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

X-Ray Bursts

Clark

1977

Highlights astron.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Most of the variable phenomena of high-luminosity (il0 3G erg s~:) stellar X-ray sources can be explained, at least qualitatively, within the general framework of binary accretion models in which thermal X-rays are emitted in the vicinity of a neutron star or blackhole by plasma that has flowed downhill from the surface of a nuclear burning companion and been heated by conversion of its gravitational potential energy. The yield of X-ray energy in this process is so high, exceeding in some cases 0.1c per unit mass, that X-ray luminosities in excess of 10 L 0 can be generated with accretion rates of only ~10~ M @ per year. Since the transfer process depends strongly on many parameters that specify the relevant properties of two stars and their interaction, one finds a remarkable variety and range of X-ray phenomena. If the compact object is a magnetized neutron star, rotation will cause its X-ray emission ; pattern to sweep over a distant observer and thereby produce regular pulsations like those observed with periods in the range from 1 to 10 seconds. Orbital motions can cause regular eclipses and absorption dips like those observed with periods in the range from hours to days. Changes in the rate of mass loss by the nuclear burning star or in the transfer efficiency can account for the variations in intrinsic X-ray luminosities that appear as flares, novae and on-off transitions. Irregularities in the flow of plasma near the compact star can also affect the intrinsic luminosity and appear as erratic fluctuations, spikes and shot-noise in the observed intensity.Recently Babushkina et al. (1975) discovered a new and qualitatively distinct kind of X-ray variation that may also fit within the general binary accretion model, though it was entirely unpredicted and is, indeed, a most surprising phenomenon. In data obtained by the Kosmos 428 satellite in 1971 they found two brief, intense "bursts" of X-rays recorded by detectors sensitive above 40 keV from two different sources lying within about 20 degrees of the galactic center. In both bursts the intensities rose to peak values in about Is and decayed in <10s, and the total energy fluxes at the detector were of the order of 3xl0 -6 ergs cm -2 . The bursts differed from typical gamma ray bursts in having much softer spectra and much smaller energy fluxes.

show abstract

“…Because this process liberates gravitational energy on the dynamical time scale of infall, it might be considered a legitimate explosion. The observed phenomenon is associated with rapid bursts in X-rays from some binary neutron star systems [23,26].…”

Section: (B) Neutron Star and Black Hole Binary Transientsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Astrophysical explosions: from solar flares to cosmic gamma-ray bursts

Wheeler

2012

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Astrophysical explosions result from the release of magnetic, gravitational or thermonuclear energy on dynamical time scales, typically the sound-crossing time for the system. These explosions include solar and stellar flares, eruptive phenomena in accretion discs, thermonuclear combustion on the surfaces of white dwarfs and neutron stars, violent magnetic reconnection in neutron stars, thermonuclear and gravitational collapse supernovae and cosmic gamma-ray bursts, each representing a different type and amount of energy release. This paper summarizes the properties of these explosions and describes new research on thermonuclear explosions and explosions in extended circumstellar media. Parallels are drawn between studies of terrestrial and astrophysical explosions, especially the physics of the transition from deflagration-to-detonation.

show abstract

The discovery of rapidly repetitive X-ray bursts from a new source in Scorpius

Cited by 147 publications

References 0 publications

Suzaku X-Ray Study of an Anomalous Source XSS J12270–4859

Suzaku X-Ray Study of an Anomalous Source XSS J12270–4859

X-Ray Bursts

Astrophysical explosions: from solar flares to cosmic gamma-ray bursts

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About