RXTE observations of 4U 1630−47 during the peak of its 1998 outburst

We present an analysis of the RXTE observations of 4U 1630−47 during its 1998 outburst. The light curve and the spectral evolution of the outburst were significantly different from the outbursts of the same source in 1996 and 1999. Special emphasis was placed on observations taken during the initial rise and during the maximum of the outburst. The maximum of the outburst was divided into three plateaux, with almost constant flux within each plateau, and fast jumps between them. The spectral and timing parameters are stable for each individual plateau, but significantly different between the plateaux. The variability detected on the first plateau is of special interest. During these observations the source exhibits quasi-regular oscillations with a period of ∼ 10–20 s. Our analysis revealed a difference in temporal behaviour of the source at high and low fluxes during this period of time. The source behaviour can be generally explained in the framework of the two-phase model of accretion flow, involving a hot inner Comptonization region and surrounding optically thick disc.
The variability and spectral evolution of the source were similar to what was observed earlier for other X-ray novae. We show that 4U 1630−47 resembles, in several aspects, other transient and persistent black hole binaries.     

The environment of Hercules A

We have made VLA radio total intensity and polarisation observations in the A, B and C configurations at 1665, 1435, 1365 and 1295 MHz and in the B, C and D configurations at 8465 and 8415 MHz to study the environment of the powerful radio galaxy Hercules A. We have also made ROSAT PSPC and HRI X-ray observations to study the intracluster gas in the Hercules A cluster. We have mapped the Faraday rotation field with high resolution (1.′′42.5 h⁻¹₁₀₀ kpc for q₀=0), and combined this with the X-ray data on the gas distribution in order to map the magnetic field of the cluster. We have found that Hercules A exhibits a strong Laing-Garrington effect: the western side of the radio emission is more depolarised than the eastern side. The X-ray observations have revealed an extended X-ray emission elongated along the radio galaxy axis and a weak nuclear component. The Hercules A cluster is a cooling flow cluster, which appears isothermal at large radii. Comparing the Faraday dispersion profile with the X-ray estimated density profile, we found that the magnetic field is decreasing with radius and we have estimated a central value of 3B₀ (μG) 9. The estimated core electron density of n₀6.6×10³ m⁻³ reveals a dense environment in which Hercules A is situated.     

Radio counterparts to GRANAT sources

We summarize the main results of a long-term VLA monitoring of several hard X-ray emitters in the Galactic Bulge. Most of the observed targets correspond to sources detected by the GRANAT satellite. Our main findings include the discovery of new radio counterparts to some of them. The sources identified at radio wavelengths are: GRS 1734−292, GX 354−0 and Terzan 1. The VLA positions obtained are accurate at the arcsec level and represent an excellent starting point to search for optical and near infrared counterparts. Imaging observations at these wavelengths have been conducted using different ESO telescopes. As a result, we were so far successful in identifying the optical/infrared counterpart to GRS 1734−292, as well as a likely infrared candidate for GX 354−0.     

J06587−5558: a very unusual polarized radio source

We present observations of the X-ray transient XTE J1118+480 during its low/hard X-ray state outburst in 2000, at radio and submillimetre wavelengths with the VLA, Ryle Telescope, MERLIN and JCMT. The high-resolution MERLIN observations reveal all the radio emission (at 5 GHz) to come from a compact core with physical dimensions smaller than 65 d (kpc) au. The combined radio data reveal a persistent and inverted radio spectrum, with spectral index ∼ +0.5. The source is also detected at 350 GHz, on an extrapolation of the radio spectrum. Flat or inverted radio spectra are now known to be typical of the low/hard X-ray state, and are believed to arise in synchrotron emission from a partially self-absorbed jet. Comparison of the radio and submillimetre data with reported near-infrared observations suggest that the synchrotron emission from the jet extends to the near-infrared, or possibly even optical regimes. In this case the ratio of jet power to total X-ray luminosity is likely to be P _J L _X≫0.01, depending on the radiative efficiency and relativistic Doppler factor of the jet. Based on these arguments we conclude that during the period of our observations XTE J1118+480 was producing a powerful outflow which extracted a large fraction of the total accretion power.     

The 1997 hard-state outburst of the X-ray transient GS 1354−64/BW Cir

We present observations of the 1997 outburst of the X-ray transient GS 1354−64 (BW Cir) at X-ray, optical and, for the first time, radio wavelengths; our results include upper limits to the linear and circular polarization for the radio data. The X-ray outburst was unusual in that the source remained in the low/hard X-ray state throughout; the X-ray peak was also preceded by at least one optical outburst, suggesting that it was an 'outside-in' outburst – similar to those observed in dwarf novae systems, although possibly taking place on a viscous time-scale in this case. It therefore indicates that the optical emission was not dominated by the reprocessing of X-rays, but that instead we see the instability directly. While the radio source was too faint to detect any extended structure, spectral analysis of the radio data and a comparison with other similar systems suggest that mass ejections, probably in the form of a jet, took place and that the emitted synchrotron spectrum may have extended as far as infrared wavelengths. Finally, we compare this 1997 outburst of GS 1354−64 with possible previous outbursts and also with other hard-state objects, both transient and persistent. It appears that a set of characteristics – such as a weak, flat-spectrum radio jet, a mHz QPO increasing in frequency, a surprisingly high optical/X-ray luminosity ratio, and the observed optical peak preceding the X-ray peak – may be common to all hard-state X-ray transients.     

Recurrent Population II X-ray transients — similarities to SU UMa cataclysmic variables

Quasi-periodic outburst activity is not uncommon among Population II X-ray binaries. This paper reports observations of such activity in several sources, made by the Vela 5B X-ray monitor. Typical periods are 1/2–2 years with an r.m.s. scatter in interval time of 10%. This activity is reminiscent of the superoutburst cycles of SU UMa CV's with respect to mean recurrence times, the variation of the recurrence times about their mean, and the total mass transferred during outburst. However, the outbursts in the X-ray sources have a substantially longer duration, 50–100 days instead of 10 days. I suggest that SU UMa and X-ray transient outbursts may be caused by similar mass-transfer instabilities.     

M.I.T. studies of transient X-ray phenomena

A variety of transient X-ray phenomena have been studied by the M.I.T. X-ray Astronomy Group. Data from the OSO-7 satellite reveal both long and short time-scale transients. Extensive observations have been made of the Lupus X-ray Nova (3U1543-47) and of GX339-4 (MX1658-48) which may represent a very different type of transient source A unique, intense X-ray flare lasting ten minutes was also recorded, and the X-ray emission from the active galaxy Cen A was found to vary significantly over a period of several days. In a recent ballon flight the Crab, pulsar, NP0532, was observed to exhibit a transient pulsed component distinct from the usual main pulse and interpulse. A sounding-rocket experiment detected an ultrasoft transient X-ray source tentatively associated with SS Cygni, and preliminary results from SAS-3 show a very hard spectrum for the new source A0535+26. On the other hand, extensive OSO-7 null observations of both Type I and II supernovae and of the flaring radio star Algol make it unlikely that these types of objects are potent transient X-ray emitters.Supported in part by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under contracts NGL 22-009-015, NSR 22-009-654 and grant NGL 22-099-730 and by the National Science Foundation under grant GP-31378.Paper presented, at the COSPAR Symposium on Fast Transients in X- and Gamma-Rays, held at Varna, Bulgaria, 29–31 May, 1975.     

A synchrotron self-Compton scenario for the very high energyγ-ray emission of the intermediate BL Lacertae object W Comae

W Comae has significant variability in multi-wavelengthes, from radio to gamma-ray bands. A bright outburst in optical and X-ray bands was observed in 1998, and most recently, a strong TeV flare was detected by VERITAS in 2008. It is the first TeV intermediate-frequency-peaked BL Lacertae source. I find that both the broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) which were quasi-simultaneously obtained during the TeV flare and during the optical/X-ray outburst are well fit by using a single-zone synchrotron + synchrotron-self-Compton model. The satisfactory fitting requires a large beaming factor, i.e., δ～25 and δ～20 for the TeV flare and the optical/X-ray outburst, respectively, suggesting that both the optical/X-ray outburst and the TeV flare are from a relativistic jet. The size of the emission region of the TeV flare is three times larger than that of the optical/X-ray outburst, and the strength of the magnetic field for the TeV flare is～14 times smaller than that of the X-ray/optical outburst, likely indicating that the region of the TeV flare is more distant from the core than that of the X-ray/optical outburst. The inverse Compton component of the TeV flare peaks around 1.3 GeV, but it is around 0 MeV for the X-ray/optical outburst, lower than that for the TeV flare by two orders of magnitude. The model predicts that the optical/X-ray outburst might be accompanied by a strong MeV/GeV emission, but the TeV flare may be not associated with the X-ray/optical outburst. The GeV emission is critical for characterizing the SEDs of the optical/X-ray outburst and the TeV flare. The predicted GeV flux is above the sensitivity of Fermi/LAT, and it could be verified with the observations by Fermi/LAT in the near future.     

Studying the X-ray hysteresis in GX 339−4: the disc and iron line over one decade

We report on a comprehensive and consistent investigation into the X-ray emission from GX 339−4. All public observations in the 11 year RXTE archive were analysed. Three different types of model – single power law, broken power law and a disc + power law – were fitted to investigate the evolution of the disc, along with a fixed Gaussian component at 6.4 keV to investigate any iron line in the spectrum. We show that the relative variation in flux and X-ray colour between the two best sampled outbursts are very similar. The decay of the disc temperature during the outburst is clearly seen in the soft state. The expected decay is   S _Disc∝ T ⁴  ; we measure   T ^4.75±0.23  . This implies that the inner disc radius is approximately constant in the soft state. We also show a significant anticorrelation between the iron line equivalent width (EW) and the X-ray flux in the soft state while in the hard state the EW is independent of the flux. This results in hysteresis in the relation between X-ray flux and both line flux and EW. To compare the X-ray binary outburst to the behaviour seen in active galactic nuclei (AGN), we construct a disc fraction luminosity diagram for GX 339−4, the first for an X-ray binary. The shape qualitatively matches that produced for AGN. Linking this with the radio emission from GX 339−4 the change in radio spectrum between the disc and power-law-dominated states is clearly visible.     

Variable Quasi Periodic Oscillations during an outburst of the transient X-ray pulsar XTE J1858 + 034

We have investigated the Quasi Periodic Oscillation (QPO) properties of the transient accreting X-ray pulsar XTE J1858 + 034 during the second outburst of this source in April–May 2004. We have used observations made with the Proportional Counter Array (PCA) of the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) during May 14–18, 2004, in the declining phase of the outburst. We detected the presence of low frequency QPOs in the frequency range of 140–185 mHz in all the RXTE-PCA observations. We report evolution of the QPO parameters with the time, X-ray flux, and X-ray photon energy. Though a correlation between the QPO centroid frequency and the instantaneous X-ray flux is not very clear from the data, we point out that the QPO frequency and the one day averaged X-ray flux decreased with time during these observations. We have obtained a clear energy dependence of the RMS variation in the QPOs, increasing from about 3% at 3 keV to 6% at 25 keV. The X-ray pulse profile is a single peaked sinusoidal, with pulse fraction increasing from 20% at 3 keV to 45% at 30keV. We found that, similar to the previous outburst, the energy spectrum is well fitted with a model consisting of a cut-off power law along with an iron emission line.     

Observations of the Deeply Eclipsing Dwarf Nova Gy Cnc

We present photometric measurements of the eclipsing dwarf nova and X-ray source GY Cnc. The observations were collected during outbursts and in quiescence. The investigation of plates from the Sonneberg archive showed that the mean outburst interval is about 210–270 days, that the outburst is very fast, and lasts for about 5 days.     

Evidence that the bursting component of the X-ray radiation from 3C 111 originates in the PC-scale jet

Evidence is presented indicating that the bursting component of the X-ray radiation detected in the nuclear region of the active radio galaxy 3C 111 comes from the blobs ejected in the pc-scale jet and not from the accretion disc. After each new outburst the radio flux density associated with it increases to a peak in ∼1 year and then subsides over a period of 1–2 years with the flux falling off exponentially as the blob moves outward and dissipates. Similar peaks (bursts) are seen in the X-ray light curve and a cross-correlation between the two shows a very high correlation with the X-ray peaks leading the radio peaks by ∼100 days. A second cross-correlation, this time between the radio event start times and the X-ray light curve, also shows a significant correlation. When this is taken together with the long (∼1 yr) delay between the start of each ejection event and its associated X-ray peak it indicates that this bursting component of the X-ray flux must be associated with the ejected blobs in the pc-scale jet and not with the accretion disc. Because X-ray telescopes do not have the resolution required to resolve the accretion disc area from the pc-scale jet, this paper is the first to present observational evidence that can pinpoint the point of origin of at least those long-timescale X-ray bursts with durations of 1–3 yrs.     

On the morphology of outbursts of accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar Aquila X-1

We present the X-ray light curves of the last two outbursts – 2014 & 2016 – of the well known accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar (AMXP) Aquila X-1 using the monitor of all sky X-ray image (MAXI) observations in the 2–20 keV band. After calibrating the MAXI count rates to the all-sky monitor (ASM) level, we report that the 2016 outburst is the most energetic event of Aql X-1, ever observed from this source. We show that 2016 outburst is a member of the long-high class according to the classification presented by Güngör et al. with ∼ 68 cnt/s maximum flux and ∼ 60 days duration time and the previous outburst, 2014, belongs to the short-low class with ∼ 25 cnt/s maximum flux and ∼ 30 days duration time. In order to understand differences between outbursts, we investigate the possible dependence of the peak intensity to the quiescent duration leading to the outburst and find that the outbursts following longer quiescent episodes tend to reach higher peak energetic.     

MOST radio observations of GX 339−4, GRS 1915+105 and GRO J1655−40

We present results from the radio monitoring of the Galactic black hole candidates GX 339−4, GRS 1915+105 and GRO J1655−40 with the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope, and discuss how the radio data fit into the multiwavelength picture.     

Ska and Evla Computing Costs for Wide Field Imaging

I investigate the problem of high dynamic range continuum synthesis imaging in the presence of confusing sources, using scaling arguments and simulations. I derive a quantified cost equation for the computer hardware needed to support such observations for the EVLA and the SKA. This cost has two main components – from the data volume, scaling as D⁻⁶ (where D is the antenna diameter), and from the non-coplanar baselines effect, scaling as D⁻², for a total scaling of D⁻⁸. A factor of two in antenna diameter thus corresponds to 12 years of Moore’s law (18 month doubling time) cost reduction in computing hardware. For a SKA built with 12.5 m antennas observing with 1 arcsecond at 1.4 GHz, I find the computing load to be about 150 Petaflops (costing about $500 million in 2015). For 25 m antennas, the load is about 256 times lower, costing $2 million in 2015. This new cost equation differs from that of Perley and Clark (2003), which has scaling as D⁻⁶. This is because I find that the excellent Fourier plane coverage of the small antenna design does not significantly change the convergence rate of the Clean algorithm, which is already satisfactory in this regime.The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is operated by Associated Universities, Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.     

Optical short-time variations in GK Persei during the 1983 outburst

During the August 1983 outburst of the old nova GK Persei observations with EXOSAT showed for the first time a 351 second periodicity in X-rays.Our fast photometry (U(B)V with 25 sec time resolution) was made at the end of the outburst in the nights of September 29, and October 1–3, using the 2.2 meter telescope at Calar Alto (Spain).Optical variations up to 10% in U and 4% in V with periodicities in the range 350 to 360 seconds were found, lasting only for few cycles.A comparison with the extrapolated prediction of the X-ray maxima did not show a coincidence, but rather an anticoincidence in several cases. This supports a model of reprocessed X-rays at the inner edge of an accretion disk.Paper presented at the IAU Colloquium No. 93 on Cataclysmic Variables. Recent Multi-Frequency Observations and Theoretical Developments, held at Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, F.R.G., 16–19 June, 1986.     

Solar flares in the extreme ultraviolet

Solar-flare observations in the extreme ultraviolet (300–1350 Å) are reported. Some 269 flares observed by the Harvard College Observatory (HCO) experiment on OSO 4 and 211 flares observed by the HCO experiment on OSO 6 have been analyzed. The flares were observed in spectral lines and continua emitted by many ionic species over a temperature range from 10⁴ to 3.5 × 10⁶ K. The EUV data have been correlated with X-ray, H, and radio observations, and a significant number of EUV bursts not associated with reported H, X-ray, or radio bursts have been iden tified and investigated. The results indicate that these latter EUV events are less energetic by about a factor of 2 than EUV bursts associated with — F subflares.     

Initial low/hard state, multiple jet ejections and X-ray/radio correlations during the outburst of XTE J1859+226

We have studied the 1999 soft X-ray transient outburst of XTE J1859+226 at radio and X-ray wavelengths. The event was characterized by strong variability in the disc, corona and jet – in particular, a number of radio flares (ejections) took place and seemed well-correlated with hard X-ray events. Apparently unusual for the canonical 'soft' X-ray transient, there was an initial period of low/hard state behaviour during the rise from quiescence but prior to the peak of the main outburst – we show that not only could this initial low/hard state be a ubiquitous feature of soft X-ray transient outbursts, but also it could be extremely important in our study of outburst mechanisms.