For nearly 20 years, the microquasar GRS 1915+105 was unique in the Galaxy forits powerful jets, massive winds, and exotic X-ray variability. In February2011, IGR J17091-3624 went into outburst and began to mimic GRS 1915+105,opening a complete new window to understand accretion disk physics at Eddingtonrates. To progress further, GRS 1915+105 and IGR J17091--3624 need to be studiedand compared in their different spectral states. We therefore propose a maximumof two ToO 40 ksec observations of IGR J17091-3624 with XMM-Newton in case thesource is still active during AO12. These observations will sample spectralstates not yet observed with high-resolution spectroscopy and at energies <2keV.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2013-09-12T21:27:37Z/2013-09-13T10:10:57Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Dr Diego Altamirano, 2014, 'XMM-Newton observations of the enigmatic black hole candidate IGR J17091-3624', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-294xo7c
