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Optical/infrared Observations of the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar 1e 1048.1−5937 during Its 2007 X-ray Flare
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Wang, Zhongxiang Kaspi, Victoria Morrell, N. |
| Copyright Year | 2008 |
| Abstract | We report on optical and infrared observations of the anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) 1E 1048.1−5937, made during its ongoing X-ray flare which started in 2007 March. We detected the source in the optical I and near-infrared Ks bands in two ground-based observations and obtained deep flux upper limits from four observations, including one with the Spitzer Space Telescope at 4.5 and 8.0 μm. The detections indicate that the source was approximately 1.3–1.6 magnitudes brighter than in 2003 April/June, when it was at the tail of a previous similar X-ray flare. Comparing the optical/near-infrared fluxes to the X-ray flux at the two epochs, we find that they are correlated. Similar related flux variations have been seen in two other AXPs during their X-ray outbursts, suggesting common behavior for large X-ray flux variation events in AXPs. The Spitzer flux limits are sufficiently deep that we can exclude mid-infrared emission similar to that from the AXP 4U 0142+61, which has been interpreted as arising from a dust disk around the AXP. The optical/near-infrared emission probably arises from the magnetosphere of 1E 1048.1−5937, given the similar flux spectra from the source and 4U 0142+61 and the magnetospheric origin suggested for the latter. The flux spectrum similarity challenges the dust disk model proposed for 4U 0142+61, since in the model, Ks band emission primarily arises from the disk, not from the magnetosphere. Subject headings: stars: neutron — pulsars: individual (1E 1048.1−5937) — infrared: stars — X-rays: stars |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://arxiv.org/pdf/0711.2290v1.pdf |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://arxiv.org/pdf/0711.2290v2.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Bands Diagnostic radiologic examination Epoch (reference date) Flux Medical Subject Headings Neutrons Radiation Sensor Stars, Celestial Xara Flare |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
