A Second Intense Burst with Photospheric Radius Expansion from X2127+119 in M15
Abstract
In 2000 September we observed a bright X-ray burst from X2127+119 with the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer. This burst has a multipeaked profile, a peak luminosity of ~6.5×1038 ergs s-1, a total integrated energy of ~2×1040 ergs, and significant photospheric radius expansion to a maximum extent of R=118+/-5 km. From the luminosity-temperature relation during the expansion phase we derive estimates for the gravitational redshift at the neutron star surface, the corrected Eddington luminosity, and the neutron star mass. We detect no slow (~30 s) radial oscillations, fast (100-1200 Hz) coherent oscillations, or quasi-periodic oscillations during the burst. The 2000 September event is only the second burst ever observed from this globular cluster binary (in M15=NGC 7078), and it shares many characteristics with the event detected by Ginga in 1988 October, the key difference probably being the total amount of material consumed in the thermonuclear flash.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- December 2001
- DOI:
- 10.1086/323517
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0107593
- Bibcode:
- 2001ApJ...562..957S
- Keywords:
-
- Accretion;
- Accretion Disks;
- Stars: Binaries: Close;
- stars: individual (X2127+119);
- Stars: Neutron;
- X-Rays: Bursts;
- X-Rays: Stars;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 8 pages, 5 figures