Swift observations of IGR J16479-4514 in outburst
Abstract
Aims: The supergiant fast X-ray transient source IGR J16479-4514 was observed in outburst two times with Swift. Its quiescent state was investigated in-depth only once in 2008 through a relatively long pointed observation with XMM-Newton. The latter observation was taken about 1.7 days after the outburst in 2008, and showed an X-ray eclipse-like event, likely caused by the supergiant companion. At present, this is the only supergiant fast X-ray transient that displayed an evidence for an X-ray eclipse.
Methods: Here we carry out a comparison between the most recent outburst of IGR J16479-4514, caught by Swift on 29 January 2009 and those detected previously from this source.
Results: The decay from the outbursts in 2005, 2008 and 2009 presents many similarities, and suggests a common mechanism that modulates the mass accretion rate onto the neutron star in IGR J16479-4514.
- Publication:
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Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- July 2009
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361/200912131
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0906.0883
- Bibcode:
- 2009A&A...502...21B
- Keywords:
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- X-rays: binaries;
- stars: binaries: eclipsing;
- stars: individual: IGR J16479-4514;
- stars: neutron;
- X-rays: stars;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
- E-Print:
- Accepted for publication in A&