SEARCH FOR THE OPTICAL COUNTERPART TO SGR 0418+5729

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/742/2/77· OSTI ID:22004635

Durant, Martin; Kargaltsev, Oleg ^[1]

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1. Department of Astronomy, University of Florida, FL 32611-2055 (United States)

We report broadband Hubble Space Telescope imaging of the field of soft {gamma}-ray repeater SGR 0418+5729 with Advanced Camera for Surveys/Wide Field Channel and Wide Field Camera 3/IR. Observing in two wide filters, F606W and F110W, we find no counterpart within the positional error circle derived from Chandra observations, to limiting magnitudes m{sub F606W} > 28.6 and m{sub F110W} > 27.4 (Vega system), equivalent to reddening-corrected luminosity limits L{sub F606W} < 5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 28} and L{sub F110W} < 6 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 28} erg s{sup -1} for a distance d = 2 kpc, at 3{sigma} confidence. This, in turn, imposes lower limits on the contemporaneous X-ray/optical flux ratio of {approx_equal}1100 and the X-ray/near-infrared flux ratio of {approx_equal}1000. We derive an upper limit on the temperature and/or size of any fall-back disk around the magnetar. We also compare the detection limits with observations of other magnetars.

• OSTI ID: 22004635
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 742; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
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LUMINOSITY
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