NICER observes a secondary peak in the decay of a thermonuclear burst from 4U 1608-52
NICER observes a secondary peak in the decay of a thermonuclear burst from 4U 1608-52
We report for the first time below 1.5 keV, the detection of a secondary peak in an Eddington-limited thermonuclear X-ray burst observed by the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) from the low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1608-52. Our time-resolved spectroscopy of the burst is consistent with a model consisting of a varying-temperature blackbody, and an evolving persistent flux contribution, likely attributed to the accretion process. The dip in the burst intensity before the secondary peak is also visible in the bolometric flux. Prior to the dip, the blackbody temperature reached a maximum of ≈3 keV. Our analysis suggests that the dip and secondary peak are not related to photospheric expansion, varying circumstellar absorption, or scattering. Instead, we discuss the observation in the context of hydrodynamical instabilities, thermonuclear flame spreading models, and reburning in the cooling tail of the burst.
accretion, accretion disks, stars: individual (4U 1608-52), stars: neutron, X-rays: binaries, X-rays: bursts
Jaisawal, Gaurava K.
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Chenevez, Jérôme
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Bult, Peter
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In'T Zand, Jean J.M.
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Galloway, Duncan K.
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Strohmayer, Tod E.
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Güver, Tolga
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Adkins, Phillip
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Altamirano, Diego
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Arzoumanian, Zaven
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Chakrabarty, Deepto
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Coopersmith, Jonathan
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Gendreau, Keith C.
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Guillot, Sebastien
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Keek, Laurens
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Ludlam, Renee M.
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Malacaria, Christian
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Jaisawal, Gaurava K.
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Chenevez, Jérôme
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Bult, Peter
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In'T Zand, Jean J.M.
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Galloway, Duncan K.
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Strohmayer, Tod E.
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Güver, Tolga
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Adkins, Phillip
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Altamirano, Diego
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Arzoumanian, Zaven
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Chakrabarty, Deepto
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Coopersmith, Jonathan
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Gendreau, Keith C.
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Guillot, Sebastien
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Keek, Laurens
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Ludlam, Renee M.
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Malacaria, Christian
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Jaisawal, Gaurava K., Chenevez, Jérôme, Bult, Peter, In'T Zand, Jean J.M., Galloway, Duncan K., Strohmayer, Tod E., Güver, Tolga, Adkins, Phillip, Altamirano, Diego, Arzoumanian, Zaven, Chakrabarty, Deepto, Coopersmith, Jonathan, Gendreau, Keith C., Guillot, Sebastien, Keek, Laurens, Ludlam, Renee M. and Malacaria, Christian
(2019)
NICER observes a secondary peak in the decay of a thermonuclear burst from 4U 1608-52.
Astrophysical Journal, 883 (1), [61].
(doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab3a37).
Abstract
We report for the first time below 1.5 keV, the detection of a secondary peak in an Eddington-limited thermonuclear X-ray burst observed by the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) from the low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1608-52. Our time-resolved spectroscopy of the burst is consistent with a model consisting of a varying-temperature blackbody, and an evolving persistent flux contribution, likely attributed to the accretion process. The dip in the burst intensity before the secondary peak is also visible in the bolometric flux. Prior to the dip, the blackbody temperature reached a maximum of ≈3 keV. Our analysis suggests that the dip and secondary peak are not related to photospheric expansion, varying circumstellar absorption, or scattering. Instead, we discuss the observation in the context of hydrodynamical instabilities, thermonuclear flame spreading models, and reburning in the cooling tail of the burst.
Text
Nicer observes a secondary peak in the decay of a thermonuclear burst from 4u 1608-52
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 8 August 2019
e-pub ahead of print date: 20 September 2019
Additional Information:
arXiv is AM
Keywords:
accretion, accretion disks, stars: individual (4U 1608-52), stars: neutron, X-rays: binaries, X-rays: bursts
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 435321
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/435321
ISSN: 0004-637X
PURE UUID: f9d2a2e5-03e7-444b-86c8-6f6996a7f0ab
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 30 Oct 2019 17:30
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 03:27
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Contributors
Author:
Gaurava K. Jaisawal
Author:
Jérôme Chenevez
Author:
Peter Bult
Author:
Jean J.M. In'T Zand
Author:
Duncan K. Galloway
Author:
Tod E. Strohmayer
Author:
Tolga Güver
Author:
Phillip Adkins
Author:
Zaven Arzoumanian
Author:
Deepto Chakrabarty
Author:
Jonathan Coopersmith
Author:
Keith C. Gendreau
Author:
Sebastien Guillot
Author:
Laurens Keek
Author:
Renee M. Ludlam
Author:
Christian Malacaria
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