| 1. |
- Krivonos, Roman, et al.
(författare)
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NuSTAR observations of the ultraluminous X-ray source M33 X-8 : a black hole in a very high state?
- 2018
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 480:2, s. 2357-2364
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The closest known ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX), M33 X-8, has been recently observed with NuSTAR during its Extragalactic Legacy program, which includes a hard X-ray survey of the M33 galaxy. We present results of two long observations of M33 taken in 2017 March and July, with M33 X-8 in the field of view. The source demonstrates a nearly constant flux during the observations, and its 3-20 keV spectrum can be well described by two distinct components: a standard accretion disc with a temperature of similar to 1 keV at the inner radius and a power law with a photon index Gamma approximate to 3, which is significantly detected up to 20 keV. There is also an indication of a high-energy cut-off in the spectrum, corresponding to a temperature of the Comptonizing medium of greater than or similar to 10 keV. The broad-band spectral properties of M33 X-8 resemble black hole X-ray binaries in their very high states, suggesting that M33 X-8 is a black hole accreting at a nearly Eddington rate, in contrast to super-Eddington accretion believed to take place in more luminous ULXs.
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| 2. |
- Nabizadeh, Armin, et al.
(författare)
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Broad-band analysis of X-ray pulsar 2S 1845-024
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 657, s. A58-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the results of a detailed investigation of the poorly studied X-ray pulsar 2S 1845-024 based on data obtained at the NuSTAR observatory during the type I outburst in 2017. Neither pulse phase-averaged nor phase-resolved spectra of the source show evidence for a cyclotron absorption feature. We also used data obtained from other X-ray observatories (Swift, XMM-Newton and Chandra) to study the spectral properties as a function of orbital phase. The analysis reveals a high hydrogen column density for the source reaching similar to 10(24) cm(-2) around periastron. Using high-quality Chandra data we were able to obtain an accurate localization of 2S 1845-024 at RA= 18(h) 48(m)16(s).8 and Dec = -2 degrees 25'25 ''.1 (J2000), which allowed us to use infrared (IR) data to roughly classify the optical counterpart of the source as an OB supergiant at a distance of greater than or similar to 15 kpc.
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| 3. |
- Nabizadeh, Armin, et al.
(författare)
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NuSTAR observations of wind-fed X-ray pulsar GX301-2 during unusual spin-up event
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP SCIENCES S A. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 629
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report on NuSTAR observations of the well-known wind-accreting X-ray pulsar GX301-2 during a strong spin-up episode that took place in January-March 2019. A measurement of high luminosity of the source in the most recent observation allowed us to detect a positive correlation of the cyclotron line energy with luminosity. Beyond that, only minor differences in spectral and temporal properties of the source during the spin-up, presumably associated with the formation of a transient accretion disk, and the normal wind-fed state could be detected. Finally, we discuss conditions for the formation of the disk and possible reasons for lack of any appreciable variations in most of the observed source properties induced by the change of the accretion mechanism, and conclude that the bulk of the observed X-ray emission is still likely powered by direct accretion from the wind.
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| 4. |
- Nabizadeh, Armin, et al.
(författare)
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Spectral evolution of X-ray pulsar 4U 1901+03 during the 2019 outburst based on Insight-HXMT and NuSTAR observations
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 652
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report on a detailed spectral analysis of emission from X-ray pulsar 4U 1901+03 using data obtained by the Insight-HXMT and NuSTAR observatories during the 2019 outburst of the source. Thanks to the extensive coverage of the outburst by Insight-HXMT, we were able to investigate the spectral evolution of the source as a function of flux, and compare these results to the previous reports, focusing on the properties of a putative absorption feature at around 10 keV. In particular, we demonstrate that the broadband X-ray continuum of 4U 1901+03 can be well described with a two-component continuum model without an absorption line at 10 keV, which casts doubt on its interpretation as a cyclotron line. The high quality of the data also allowed us to perform both phase-averaged and phase-resolved spectral analyses as a function of luminosity. Finally, we performed a detailed investigation of another absorption feature in the spectrum of the source around 30 keV recently reported in the NuSTAR data. We show that this feature appears to be significantly detected both in phase-averaged and phase-resolved spectra irrespective of the continuum model.
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| 5. |
- Semena, Andrey N., et al.
(författare)
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Observational constraints on the magnetic field of the bright transient Be/X-ray pulsar SXP 4.78
- 2019
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 490:3, s. 3355-3364
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report results of the spectral and timing analysis of the Be/X-ray pulsar SXP 4.78 using the data obtained during its recent outburst with NuSTAR, Swift, Chandra, and NICER observatories. Using an overall evolution of the system luminosity, spectral analysis, and variability power spectrum we obtain constraints on the neutron star magnetic field strength. We found a rapid evolution of the variability power spectrum during the rise of the outburst, and absence of the significant changes during the flux decay. Several low frequency quasiperiodic oscillation features are found to emerge on the different stages of the outburst, but no clear clues on their origin were found in the energy spectrum and overall flux behaviour. We use several indirect methods to estimate the magnetic field strength on the neutron star surface and found that most of them suggest magnetic field B less than or similar to 2 x 10(12) G. The strictest upper limit comes from the absence of the cyclotron absorption features in the energy spectra and suggests relatively weak magnetic field B < 6 x 10(11) G.)
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| 6. |
- Tsygankov, Sergey S., et al.
(författare)
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NuSTAR discovery of a cyclotron absorption line in the transient X-ray pulsar 2S 1553-542
- 2016
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 457:1, s. 258-266
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report the results of a spectral and timing analysis of the poorly studied transient X-ray pulsar 2S 1553-542 using data collected with the NuSTAR and Chandra observatories and the Fermi/GBM instrument during an outburst in 2015. The properties of the source at high energies (>30 keV) are studied for the first time and the sky position has been essentially improved. The source broad-band spectrum has a quite complicated shape and can be reasonably described by a composite model with two continuum components - a blackbody emission with the temperature about 1 keV at low energies and a power law with an exponential cut-off at high energies. Additionally, an absorption feature at similar to 23.5 keV is discovered both in phase-averaged and phase-resolved spectra and interpreted as the cyclotron resonance scattering feature corresponding to the magnetic field strength of the neutron star B similar to 3 x 10(12) G. Based on the Fermi/ GBM data, the orbital parameters of the system were substantially improved, which allowed us to determine the spin period of the neutron star P = 9.27880(3) s and a local spin-up. (P) over dot similar or equal to -7.5 x 10(-10) s s(-1) due to the mass accretion during the NuSTAR observations. Assuming accretion from the disc and using standard torque models, we estimated the distance to the system as d = 20 +/- 4 kpc.
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| 7. |
- Tsygankov, Sergey S., et al.
(författare)
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X-Ray Pulsar XTE J1858+034 : Discovery of the Cyclotron Line and the Revised Optical Identification
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : IOP PUBLISHING LTD. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 909:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the results of a detailed investigation of the poorly studied X-ray pulsar (XRP) XTE J1858+034 based on the data obtained with the NuSTAR observatory during the outburst of the source in 2019. The spectral analysis resulted in the discovery of a cyclotron absorption feature in the source spectrum at similar to 48 keV in both the pulse phase-averaged and resolved spectra. Accurate X-ray localization of the source using the NuSTAR and Chandra observatories allowed us to accurately determine the position of the X-ray source and identify the optical companion of the pulsar. The analysis of the counterpart properties suggested that the system is likely a symbiotic binary hosting an XRP and a late-type companion star of the K-M classes rather than a Be X-ray binary as previously suggested.
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| 8. |
- Barack, Leor, et al.
(författare)
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Black holes, gravitational waves and fundamental physics : a roadmap
- 2019
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Ingår i: Classical and quantum gravity. - : IOP Publishing. - 0264-9381 .- 1361-6382. ; 36:14
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The grand challenges of contemporary fundamental physics dark matter, dark energy, vacuum energy, inflation and early universe cosmology, singularities and the hierarchy problem all involve gravity as a key component. And of all gravitational phenomena, black holes stand out in their elegant simplicity, while harbouring some of the most remarkable predictions of General Relativity: event horizons, singularities and ergoregions. The hitherto invisible landscape of the gravitational Universe is being unveiled before our eyes: the historical direct detection of gravitational waves by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration marks the dawn of a new era of scientific exploration. Gravitational-wave astronomy will allow us to test models of black hole formation, growth and evolution, as well as models of gravitational-wave generation and propagation. It will provide evidence for event horizons and ergoregions, test the theory of General Relativity itself, and may reveal the existence of new fundamental fields. The synthesis of these results has the potential to radically reshape our understanding of the cosmos and of the laws of Nature. The purpose of this work is to present a concise, yet comprehensive overview of the state of the art in the relevant fields of research, summarize important open problems, and lay out a roadmap for future progress. This write-up is an initiative taken within the framework of the European Action on 'Black holes, Gravitational waves and Fundamental Physics'.
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| 9. |
- Doroshenko, Victor, et al.
(författare)
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Luminosity dependence of the cyclotron line and evidence for the accretion regime transition in V 0332+53
- 2017
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 466:2, s. 2143-2150
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report on the analysis of NuSTAR observations of the Be-transient X-ray pulsar V 0332+ 53 during the giant outburst in 2015 and another minor outburst in 2016. We confirm the cyclotronline energy-luminosity correlation previously reported in the source and the line energy decrease during the giant outburst. Based on 2016 observations, we find that a year later the line energy has increased again essentially reaching the pre-outburst values. We discuss this behaviour and conclude that it is likely caused by a change of the emission region geometry rather than previously suggested accretion-induced decay of the neutron stars magnetic field. At lower luminosities, we find for the first time a hint of departure from the anticorrelation of line energy with flux, which we interpret as a transition from super-to sub-critical accretion associated with the disappearance of the accretion column. Finally, we confirm and briefly discuss the orbital modulation observed in the outburst light curve of the source.
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| 10. |
- Kosenkov, Ilia A., et al.
(författare)
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High-precision optical polarimetry of the accreting black hole V404 Cyg during the 2015 June outburst
- 2017
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 468:4, s. 4362-4373
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Our simultaneous three-colour (BVR) polarimetric observations of the low-mass black hole X-ray binary V404 Cyg show a small but statistically significant change of polarization degree (Delta(p) similar to 1 per cent) between the outburst in 2015 June and the quiescence. The polarization of V404 Cyg in the quiescent state agrees within the errors with that of the visually close (1.4 arc-sec) companion (pR = 7.3 +/- 0.1 per cent), indicating that it is predominantly of interstellar origin. The polarization pattern of the surrounding field stars supports this conclusion. From the observed variable polarization during the outburst, we show that the polarization degree of the intrinsic component peaks in the V band, p(V) = 1.1 +/- 0.1 per cent, at the polarization position angle of theta(V) =-7 degrees+/- 2 degrees, which is consistent in all three passbands. We detect significant variations in the position angle of the intrinsic polarization in the R band from -30. to similar to 0 degrees during the outburst peak. The observed wavelength dependence of the intrinsic polarization does not support non-thermal synchrotron emission from a jet as a plausible mechanism, but it is in better agreement with the combined effect of electron (Thomson) scattering and absorption in a flattened plasma envelope or outflow surrounding the illuminating source. Alternatively, the polarization signal can be produced by scattering of the disc radiation in a mildly relativistic polar outflow. The position angle of the intrinsic polarization, nearly parallel to the jet direction (i. e. perpendicular to the accretion disc plane), is in agreement with these interpretations.
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