The first observation of optical pulsations from a soft gamma repeater: SGR 0501+4516

Dhillon, V. S.; Marsh, T. R.; Littlefair, S. P.; Copperwheat, C. M.; Hickman, Richard; Kerry, P.; Levan, A. J.; Rea, N.; Savoury, C. D. J.; Tanvir, N. R.; Turolla, R.; Wiersema, K.

doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2011.01088.x

Cited by 25 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…This negative result is in better agreement with a magnetospheric origin interpretation, in which case the IR/optical flux is expected to be fainter for lower field strengths. Moreover, a magnetospheric scenario is more likely to explain the fact that, when detected, the observed optical emission is pulsed at the pulsar period, with pulsed fractions > 50%, i.e., higher than in soft X-rays (Kern & Martin, 2002;Dhillon et al, 2009Dhillon et al, , 2011.…”

Section: Ir/optical Emissionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Magnetars: the physics behind observations. A review

2015

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Magnetars are the strongest magnets in the present universe and the combination of extreme magnetic field, gravity and density makes them unique laboratories to probe current physical theories (from quantum electrodynamics to general relativity) in the strong field limit. Magnetars are observed as peculiar, burst-active x-ray pulsars, the anomalous x-ray pulsars (AXPs) and the soft gamma repeaters (SGRs); the latter emitted also three 'giant flares', extremely powerful events during which luminosities can reach up to 10(47) erg s(-1) for about one second. The last five years have witnessed an explosion in magnetar research which has led, among other things, to the discovery of transient, or 'outbursting', and 'low-field' magnetars. Substantial progress has been made also on the theoretical side. Quite detailed models for explaining the magnetars' persistent x-ray emission, the properties of the bursts, the flux evolution in transient sources have been developed and confronted with observations. New insight on neutron star asteroseismology has been gained through improved models of magnetar oscillations. The long-debated issue of magnetic field decay in neutron stars has been addressed, and its importance recognized in relation to the evolution of magnetars and to the links among magnetars and other families of isolated neutron stars. The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive overview in which the observational results are discussed in the light of the most up-to-date theoretical models and their implications. This addresses not only the particular case of magnetar sources, but the more fundamental issue of how physics in strong magnetic fields can be constrained by the observations of these unique sources.

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Section: Ir/optical Emissionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Magnetars: the physics behind observations. A review

2015

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“…For an assumed Swift J1822.3−1606 distance of 5 kpc, this implies an optical luminosity L z 4 × 10 31 erg s −1 during the outburst phase. Only very few magnetars are detected in the optical band, the only ones being 4U 0142+614, 1E 1048.1−5937, and SGR 0501+4516, all detected in the I band (see, e.g., Mignani 2011; Dhillon et al 2011). The optical flux of, e.g., 1E 1048.1−5937 during its recent flaring phase (Wang et al 2008) corresponds to an I-band luminosity L I ∼ (4 ± 2) × 10 30 erg s −1 for an assumed distance of 3 ± 1 kpc (Gaensler et al 2005).…”

Section: Radio and Optical Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A New Low Magnetic Field Magnetar: The 2011 Outburst of Swift J1822.3–1606

Rea

Israel

Esposito

et al. 2012

ApJ

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141

174

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“…For NH = 10 22 cm −2 (Rea et al 2009) we have converted the observed magnitudes when the X-ray luminosity is close to the quiescent level [i = 24.4 ± 0.4, u > 24.7, g > 26.9, K = 19.7 ± 0.1 (Dhillon et al 2011)] into the unabsorbed flux values. It is seen in Fig.…”

Section: Long-term Evolution Of Sgr 0501+4516mentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term evolution, X-ray outburst and optical/infrared emission of SGR 0501+4516

Benli

Çalışkan

Ertan

2015

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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We have analyzed the long-term evolution and the X-ray outburst light curve of SGR 0501+4516 in the frame of the fallback disc model. We have shown that the X-ray luminosity, period and period derivative of this typical soft gamma repeater can be achieved by a neutron star with a large range of initial disc masses provided that the source has a magnetic dipole field of ∼ 1.4 × 10 12 G on the pole of the star. At present, the star is accreting matter from the disc, which has an age ∼ 3 × 10 4 yr, and will remain in the accretion phase until t ∼ 2-5 × 10 5 yr depending on the initial disc mass. With its current rotational rate, this source is not expected to give pulsed radio emission even if the accretion on to the star is hindered by some mechanism. The X-ray enhancement light curve of SGR 0501+4516 can be accounted for by the same model applied earlier to the X-ray enhancement light curves of other anomalous X-ray pulsars/soft gamma repeaters with the same basic disc parameters. We have further shown that the optical/IR data of SGR 0501+4516 is in good agreement with the emission from an irradiated fallback disc with the properties consistent with our long-term evolution model.

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The first observation of optical pulsations from a soft gamma repeater: SGR 0501+4516

Cited by 25 publications

References 28 publications

Magnetars: the physics behind observations. A review

Magnetars: the physics behind observations. A review

A New Low Magnetic Field Magnetar: The 2011 Outburst of Swift J1822.3–1606

Long-term evolution, X-ray outburst and optical/infrared emission of SGR 0501+4516

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