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Revival of the Magnetar PSR J1622-4950: Observations with MeerKAT, Parkes, XMM-Newton, Swift, Chandra, and NuSTAR

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posted on 2024-08-06, 11:28 authored by F. Camilo, P. Scholz, M. Serylak, S. Buchner, M. Merryfield, V. M. Kaspi, R. F. Archibald, Matthew BailesMatthew Bailes, A. Jameson, Willem van Straten, J. Sarkissian, J. E. Reynolds, S. Johnston, G. Hobbs, T. D. Abbott, R. M. Adam, G. B. Adams, T. Alberts, R. Andreas, K. M.B. Asad, D. E. Baker, T. Baloyi, E. F. Bauermeister, T. Baxana, T. G.H. Bennett, G. Bernardi, D. Booisen, R. S. Booth, D. H. Botha, L. Boyana, L. R.S. Brederode, J. P. Burger, T. Cheetham, J. Conradie, J. P. Conradie, D. B. Davidson, G. De Bruin, B. De Swardt, C. De Villiers, D. I.L.De Villiers, M. S.De Villiers, W. De Villiers, C. De Waal, M. A. Dikgale, G. Du Toit, L. J.Du Toit, S. W.P. Esterhuyse, B. Fanaroff, S. Fataar, A. R. Foley, G. Foster, D. Fourie, R. Gamatham, T. Gatsi, R. Geschke, S. Goedhart, T. L. Grobler, S. C. Gumede, M. J. Hlakola, A. Hokwana, D. H. Hoorn, D. Horn, J. Horrell, B. Hugo, A. Isaacson, O. Jacobs, J. P.Jansen Van Rensburg, J. L. Jonas, B. Jordaan, A. Joubert, F. Joubert, G. I.G. Józsa, R. Julie, C. C. Julius, F. Kapp, A. Karastergiou, F. Karels, M. Kariseb, R. Karuppusamy, V. Kasper, E. C. Knox-Davies, D. Koch, P. P.A. Kotzé, A. Krebs, N. Kriek, H. Kriel, T. Kusel, S. Lamoor, R. Lehmensiek, D. Liebenberg, I. Liebenberg, R. T. Lord, B. Lunsky, N. Mabombo, T. Macdonald, P. Macfarlane, K. Madisa, L. Mafhungo, L. G. Magnus, C. Magozore, O. Mahgoub, J. P.L. Main, S. Makhathini, J. A. Malan, P. Malgas, J. R. Manley, M. Manzini, L. Marais, N. Marais, S. J. Marais, M. Maree, A. Martens, S. D. Matshawule, N. Matthysen, T. Mauch, L. D.Mc Nally, B. Merry, R. P. Millenaar, C. Mjikelo, N. Mkhabela, N. Mnyandu, I. T. Moeng, O. J. Mokone, T. E. Monama, K. Montshiwa, V. Moss, M. Mphego, W. New, B. Ngcebetsha, K. Ngoasheng, H. Niehaus, P. Ntuli, A. Nzama, F. Obies, M. Obrocka, M. T. Ockards, C. Olyn, N. Oozeer, A. J. Otto, Y. Padayachee, S. Passmoor, A. A. Patel, S. Paula, A. Peens-Hough, B. Pholoholo, P. Prozesky, S. Rakoma, A. J.T. Ramaila, I. Rammala, Z. R. Ramudzuli, M. Rasivhaga, S. Ratcliffe, H. C. Reader, R. Renil, L. Richter, A. Robyntjies, D. Rosekrans, A. Rust, S. Salie, N. Sambu, C. T.G. Schollar, L. Schwardt, S. Seranyane, G. Sethosa, C. Sharpe, R. Siebrits, S. K. Sirothia, M. J. Slabber, O. Smirnov, S. Smith, L. Sofeya, N. Songqumase, R. Spann, B. Stappers, D. Steyn, T. J. Steyn, R. Strong, A. Struthers, C. Stuart, P. Sunnylall, P. S. Swart, B. Taljaard, C. Tasse, G. Taylor, I. P. Theron, V. Thondikulam, K. Thorat, A. Tiplady, O. Toruvanda, J. Van Aardt, T. Van Balla, L. Van Den Heever, A. Van Der Byl, C. Van Der Merwe, P. Van Der Merwe, P. C.Van Niekerk, R. Van Rooyen, J. P.Van Staden, V. Van Tonder, R. Van Wyk, I. Wait, A. L. Walker, B. Wallace, M. Welz, L. P. Williams, B. Xaia, N. Young, S. Zitha
New radio (MeerKAT and Parkes) and X-ray (XMM-Newton, Swift, Chandra, and NuSTAR) observations of PSR J1622-4950 indicate that the magnetar, in a quiescent state since at least early 2015, reactivated between 2017 March 19 and April 5. The radio flux density, while variable, is approximately 100x larger than during its dormant state. The X-ray flux one month after reactivation was at least 800x larger than during quiescence, and has been decaying exponentially on a 111 +/- 19 day timescale. This high-flux state, together with a radio-derived rotational ephemeris, enabled for the first time the detection of X-ray pulsations for this magnetar. At 5%, the 0.3-6 keV pulsed fraction is comparable to the smallest observed for magnetars. The overall pulsar geometry inferred from polarized radio emission appears to be broadly consistent with that determined 6-8 years earlier. However, rotating vector model fits suggest that we are now seeing radio emission from a different location in the magnetosphere than previously. This indicates a novel way in which radio emission from magnetars can differ from that of ordinary pulsars. The torque on the neutron star is varying rapidly and unsteadily, as is common for magnetars following outburst, having changed by a factor of 7 within six months of reactivation.

Funding

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Goddard Space Flight Center

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

Australian Research Council

Science and Technology Facilities Council

History

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PDF (Published version)

ISSN

1538-4357

Journal title

Astrophysical Journal

Volume

856

Issue

2

Article number

article no. 180

Pagination

1 p

Publisher

American Astronomical Society

Copyright statement

Copyright © 2018 The American Astronomical Society. Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.

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Many more authors listed on publishers page

Language

eng

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