A dataset provided by the European Space Agency

Proposal ID 0620062
Obs ID 06200620004
Title ToO observation of a non-INTEGRAL-detected Anomalous X-ray Pulsar
Download Data Associated to the proposal https://isla.esac.esa.int/tap/download/bundle?format=ascii_curl&product_id=prop_id:0620062
DOI https://doi.org/10.57780/esa-l3cz1xd
Author Den Hartog
Abstract The discovery of persistent hard X-ray emission from anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) is one of the most remarkable discoveries by INTEGRAL to date! The spectral-shape transition of these AXPs around ~10 keV is drastic and not understood: from soft to extremely hard. These AXPs are detected up to at least 150 keV and their non-thermal emissions contain the bulk of the total energy emitted.These remarkable AXP spectra have led to several theoretical attempts to explain the non-thermal hard X-ray emission, using e.g. magnetar corona and/or exotic QED processes in the most extreme magnetic fields. The current measurements are inssufficient to distinguish between several physically very different models. Using all available INTEGRAL archival data on these sources we collected good statistics on their time-averaged (years)n spectra and pulse profiles. However, we know from the soft X-ray, NIR and even radio bands that AXPs show dramatic variability behaviour in a wide variety of forms. What causes these dramatic events and how variations in one energy range relate to another is still a major puzzle in AXP astrophysics, and is clearly intimately connected to determining the origin of AXP emission across the spectrum.We propose an INTEGRAL ToO program to follow up any (known or new) AXP not detected by INTEGRAL which shows significant increase in the persistent flux in soft X-rays (2-10 keV) till above 2E-11 erg cm-2 s-1. This can be easily measured with RXTE with which the AXPs are regularly monitored.We ask for 800 ks to determine accurately changes in parameters. To optimize the available INTEGRAL time, we ask for the first 400 ks observation, followed by near-real-time analysis searching for evidence fo the expected changes. After justification to the Proj. Scientist, we request the remaining 400 ks.
Publications
Temporal Coverage 2009-01-28T14:22:40Z / 2009-02-08T15:58:07Z
Version 1.0
Mission Description The INTEGRAL (International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory) mission, launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) on October 17, 2002, was designed to study high-energy phenomena in the universe. INTEGRAL was operating until february 2025 and it was equipped with three high-energy instruments: the Imager on Board the INTEGRAL Satellite (IBIS), the Spectrometer on INTEGRAL (SPI), and the JEM-X (Joint European Monitor for X-rays). Its Optical Monitoring Camera (OMC) provided optical V-band magnitude measurements, complementing the high-energy observations.
Creator Contact https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/integral/helpdesk
Date Published 2025-03-25T09:54:35Z
Publisher And Registrant European Space Agency
Credit Guidelines European Space Agency, Den Hartog, 2025, 'ToO observation of a non-INTEGRAL-detected Anomalous X-ray Pulsar', 1.0, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.57780/esa-l3cz1xd