The peculiar galactic center neutron star X-ray binary XMM J174457-2850.3
- Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)
- Anton Pannekoek Institute of Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam (Netherlands)
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom)
- Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 525 Davey Lab, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)
- Astrophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)
- CIERA, Physics and Astronomy Department, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208 (United States)
The recent discovery of a millisecond radio pulsar experiencing an accretion outburst similar to those seen in low mass X-ray binaries, has opened up a new opportunity to investigate the evolutionary link between these two different neutron star manifestations. The remarkable X-ray variability and hard X-ray spectrum of this object can potentially serve as a template to search for other X-ray binary/radio pulsar transitional objects. Here we demonstrate that the transient X-ray source XMM J174457-2850.3 near the Galactic center displays similar X-ray properties. We report on the detection of an energetic thermonuclear burst with an estimated duration of ≅2 hr and a radiated energy output of ≅ 5 × 10{sup 40} erg, which unambiguously demonstrates that the source harbors an accreting neutron star. It has a quiescent X-ray luminosity of L {sub X} ≅ 5 × 10{sup 32}(D/6.5 kpc){sup 2} erg s{sup –1} and exhibits occasional accretion outbursts during which it brightens to L {sub X} ≅ 10{sup 35}-10{sup 36}(D/6.5 kpc){sup 2} erg s{sup –1} for a few weeks (2-10 keV). However, the source often lingers in between outburst and quiescence at L {sub X} ≅ 10{sup 33}-10{sup 34}(D/6.5 kpc){sup 2} erg s{sup –1}. This peculiar X-ray flux behavior and its relatively hard X-ray spectrum, a power law with an index of Γ ≅ 1.4, could possibly be explained in terms of the interaction between the accretion flow and the magnetic field of the neutron star.
- OSTI ID:
- 22365125
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 792, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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