We have identified a new candidate transitional millisecond pulsar, 1RXSJ0838-2827. It shows H and He accretion-disk lines in the optical, it has aFermi uncatalogued counterpart, and shows X-ray variability (observed withSwift-XRT) similar to the other transitional millisecond binaries (IGRJ18245-2452, PSR J1023+0038 and XSS J12270-4859). We ask for a 50 ks XMMobservation of this new source to characterize properly its spectrum and thelightcurve variability on short timescales. Enlarging the number of systemscaught in this transitional phase is crucial to test binary evolution theories,and to study the disk-field interaction over a large range of mass accretionrates.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2015-10-20T09:25:36Z/2015-10-21T00:25:36Z
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 Nanda Rea, 2016, 'Is 1RXS J0838-2827 a new transitional binary millisecond pulsarquestionMark', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-2ms807l
