Showing papers by "Luigi Stella published in 2017"

Spectroscopic identification of r-process nucleosynthesis in a double neutron star merger

Abstract: The merger of two neutron stars is predicted to give rise to three major detectable phenomena: a short burst of gamma-rays, a gravitational wave signal, and a transient optical/near-infrared source powered by the synthesis of large amounts of very heavy elements via rapid neutron capture (the r-process). Such transients, named "macronovae" or "kilonovae", are believed to be centres of production of rare elements such as gold and platinum. The most compelling evidence so far for a kilonova was a very faint near-infrared rebrightening in the afterglow of a short gamma-ray burst at z = 0.356, although findings indicating bluer events have been reported. Here we report the spectral identification and describe the physical properties of a bright kilonova associated with the gravitational wave source GW 170817 and gamma-ray burst GRB 170817A associated with a galaxy at a distance of 40 Mpc from Earth. Using a series of spectra from ground-based observatories covering the wavelength range from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared, we find that the kilonova is characterized by rapidly expanding ejecta with spectral features similar to those predicted by current models. The ejecta is optically thick early on, with a velocity of about 0.2 times light speed, and reaches a radius of about 50 astronomical units in only 1.5 days. As the ejecta expands, broad absorption-like lines appear on the spectral continuum indicating atomic species produced by nucleosynthesis that occurs in the post-merger fast-moving dynamical ejecta and in two slower (0.05 times light speed) wind regions. Comparison with spectral models suggests that the merger ejected 0.03-0.05 solar masses of material, including high-opacity lanthanides.

An accreting pulsar with extreme properties drives an ultraluminous x-ray source in NGC 5907

Abstract: Ultraluminous x-ray sources (ULXs) in nearby galaxies shine brighter than any x-ray source in our Galaxy. ULXs are usually modeled as stellar-mass black holes (BHs) accreting at very high rates or intermediate-mass BHs. We present observations showing that NGC 5907 ULX is instead an x-ray accreting neutron star (NS) with a spin period evolving from 1.43 seconds in 2003 to 1.13 seconds in 2014. It has an isotropic peak luminosity of ~1000 times the Eddington limit for a NS at 17.1 megaparsec. Standard accretion models fail to explain its luminosity, even assuming beamed emission, but a strong multipolar magnetic field can describe its properties. These findings suggest that other extreme ULXs (x-ray luminosity ≥ 1041 erg second−1) might harbor NSs.

Discovery of a 0.42-s pulsar in the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 7793 P13

Abstract: NGC 7793 P13 is a variable (luminosity range ∼100) ultraluminous X-ray source proposed to host a stellar-mass black hole of less than 15 M⊙ in a binary system with orbital period of 64 d and a 18-23 M⊙ B9Ia companion Within the EXTraS (Exploring the X-ray Transient and variable Sky) project, we discovered pulsations at a period of ∼042 s in two XMM-Newton observations of NGC 7793 P13, during which the source was detected at LX ∼ 21 × 1039 and 5 × 1039 erg s-1 (03-10 keV band) These findings unambiguously demonstrate that the compact object in NGC 7793 P13 is a neutron star accreting at super-Eddington rates While standard accretion models face difficulties accounting for the pulsar X-ray luminosity, the presence of a multipolar magnetic field with B ∼ few × 1013 G close to the base of the accretion column appears to be in agreement with the properties of the system

Pulsator-like spectra from Ultraluminous X-ray sources and the search for more ultraluminous pulsars

Abstract: Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are a population of extragalactic objects whose luminosity exceeds the Eddington limit for a 10 Msun black hole (BH). Their properties have been widely interpreted in terms of accreting stellar-mass or intermediate-mass BHs. However at least three neutron stars (NSs) have been recently identified in ULXs through the discovery of periodic pulsations. Motivated by these findings we studied the spectral properties of a sample of bright ULXs using a simple continuum model which was extensively used to fit the X-ray spectra of accreting magnetic NSs in the Galaxy. We found that such a model, consisting of a power-law with a high-energy exponential cut-off, fits very well most of the ULX spectra analyzed here, at a level comparable to that of models involving an accreting BH. On these grounds alone we suggest that other non-pulsating ULXs may host NSs. We found also that above 2 keV the spectrum of known pulsating ULXs is harder than that of the majority of the other ULXs of the sample, with only IC 342 X-1 and Ho IX X-1 displaying spectra of comparable hardness. We thus suggest that these two ULXs may host an accreting NS and encourage searches for periodic pulsations in the flux.

Optical pulsations from a transitional millisecond pulsar

Abstract: Millisecond pulsars are neutron stars that attain their very fast rotation during a 108–109-yr-long phase of disk accretion of matter from a low-mass companion star 1,2 . They can be detected as accretion-powered millisecond X-ray pulsars if towards the end of this phase their magnetic field is strong enough to channel the in-flowing matter towards their magnetic poles 3 . When mass transfer is reduced or ceases altogether, pulsed emission generated by magnetospheric particle acceleration and powered by the star rotation is observed, preferentially in the radio 4 and gamma-ray 5 bands. A few transitional millisecond pulsars that swing between an accretion-powered X-ray pulsar regime and a rotationally powered radio pulsar regime in response to variations of the mass in-flow rate have been recently identified 6,7 . Here, we report the detection of optical pulsations from a transitional millisecond pulsar. The pulsations were observed when the pulsar was surrounded by an accretion disk, and originated inside the magnetosphere or within a few hundreds of kilometres from it. Energy arguments rule out reprocessing of accretion-powered X-ray emission and argue against a process related to accretion onto the pulsar polar caps; synchrotron emission of electrons in a rotation-powered pulsar magnetosphere 8 seems more likely. Optical pulsations from a millisecond pulsar that had transitioned from a rotationally powered regime to an accretion disk state have been detected. The optical emission is likely to be due to electron synchrotron emission in a rotation-powered magnetosphere.

Geodesic Models of Quasi-periodic-oscillations as Probes of Quadratic Gravity

Abstract: Future very-large-area X-ray instruments (for which the effective area is larger than $>3$m$^2$) will be able to measure the frequencies of quasi-periodic oscillations~(QPOs) observed in the X-ray flux from accreting compact objects with sub-percent precision. If correctly modeled, QPOs can provide a novel way to test the strong-field regime of gravity. By using the relativistic precession model and a modified version of the epicyclic resonance model, we develop a method to test general relativity against a generic class of theories with quadratic curvature corrections. With the instrumentation being studied for future missions such as eXTP, LOFT, or STROBE-X, a measurement of at least two QPO triplets from a stellar mass black hole can set stringent constraints on the coupling parameters of quadratic gravity.

A universal relation for the propeller mechanisms in magnetic rotating stars at different scales

Abstract: Accretion of matter onto a magnetic, rotating object can be strongly affected by the interaction with its magnetic field. This occurs in a variety of astrophysical settings involving young stellar objects, white dwarfs, and neutron stars. As matter is endowed with angular momentum, its inflow toward the star is often mediated by an accretion disc. The pressure of matter and that originating from the stellar magnetic field balance at the magnetospheric radius: at smaller distances the motion of matter is dominated by the magnetic field, and funnelling towards the magnetic poles ensues. However, if the star, and thus its magnetosphere, is fast spinning, most of the inflowing matter will be halted at the magnetospheric radius by centrifugal forces, resulting in a characteristic reduction of the accretion luminosity. The onset of this mechanism, called the propeller, has been widely adopted to interpret a distinctive knee in the decaying phase of the light curve of several transiently accreting X-ray pulsar systems. By comparing the observed luminosity at the knee for different classes of objects with the value predicted by accretion theory on the basis of the independently measured magnetic field, spin-period, mass, and radius of the star, we disclose here a general relation for the onset of the propeller which spans about eight orders of magnitude in spin period and ten in magnetic moment. The parameter-dependence and normalisation constant that we determine are in agreement with basic accretion theory.

The 2015 outburst of the accretion-powered pulsar IGR J00291+5934: INTEGRAL and Swift observations

Abstract: The pulsar IGR J00291+5934 is the fastest-known accretion-powered X-ray pulsar, discovered during a transient outburst in 2004. In this paper, we report on INTEGRAL and Swift observations during the 2015 outburst, which lasts for ~25 d. The source has not been observed in outburst since 2008, suggesting that the long-term accretion rate has decreased by a factor of two since discovery. The averaged broad-band (0.1–250 keV) persistent spectrum in 2015 is well described by a thermal Comptonization model with a column density of N H ≈ 4 × 10 21 cm -2 , a plasma temperature of k T e ≈ 50 keV, and a Thomson optical depth of τ T ≈ 1. Pulsations at the known spin period of the source are detected in the INTEGRAL data up to the ~150 keV energy band. We also report on the discovery of the first thermonuclear burst observed from IGR J00291+5934, which lasts around 7 min and occurs at a persistent emission level corresponding to roughly 1.6% of the Eddington accretion rate. The properties of the burst suggest it is powered primarily by helium ignited at a depth of y ign ≈ 1.5 × 10 9 g cm -2 following the exhaustion by steady burning of the accreted hydrogen. The Swift/BAT data from the first ~20 s of the burst provide indications of a photospheric radius expansion phase. Assuming this is the case, we infer a source distance of d = 4.2 ± 0.5 kpc.

The puzzling orbital period evolution of the LMXB AX J1745.6−2901

Abstract: The orbital period evolution of X-ray binaries provides fundamental clues to understanding mechanisms of angular momentum transfer and loss in these systems. We present an X-ray eclipse timing analysis of the transient low-mass X-ray binary AX J1745.6-2901. This system shows full eclipses and thus is one of the few objects of this class for which accurate orbital evolution studies can be carried out. We report on XMM-Newton and ASCA observations covering 30 complete X-ray eclipses spanning an interval of more than 20 yr. We improve the determination of the orbital period to a relative precision of 2 x 10(-8), two orders of magnitudes better than previous measurements. We determine, for the first time, a highly significant rate of decrease of the orbital period. P-orb = -4.03 +/- 0.32 x 10 (11) s s(-1). This is at least one order of magnitude larger than expected from conservative mass transfer and angular momentum losses due to gravitational waves and magnetic braking, and might result from either non-conservative mass transfer or magnetic activity changing the quadrupole moment of the companion star. Imprinted on the long-term evolution of the orbit, we observe highly significant eclipse leads-delays of similar to 10-30 s, characterized by a clear state dependence in which, on average, eclipses occur earlier during the hard state.

The transitional millisecond pulsar IGR J18245-2452 during its 2013 outburst at X-rays and soft gamma-rays

Abstract: IGR J18245-2452/PSR J1824-2452I is one of the rare transitional accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars, showing direct evidence of switches between states of rotation-powered radio pulsations and accr ...

GRAWITA: VLT Survey Telescope observations of the gravitational wave sources GW150914 and GW151226

Abstract: We report the results of deep optical follow-up surveys of the first two gravitational-wave sources, GW150914 and GW151226, done by the GRAvitational Wave Inaf TeAm Collaboration (GRAWITA). The VLT Survey Telescope (VST) responded promptly to the gravitational-wave alerts sent by the LIGO and Virgo Collaborations, monitoring a region of $90$ deg$^2$ and $72$ deg$^2$ for GW150914 and GW151226, respectively, and repeated the observations over nearly two months. Both surveys reached an average limiting magnitude of about 21 in the $r-$band. The paper describes the VST observational strategy and two independent procedures developed to search for transient counterpart candidates in multi-epoch VST images. Several transients have been discovered but no candidates are recognized to be related to the gravitational-wave events. Interestingly, among many contaminant supernovae, we find a possible correlation between the supernova VSTJ57.77559-59.13990 and GRB150827A detected by {\it Fermi}-GBM. The detection efficiency of VST observations for different types of electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational-wave events are evaluated for the present and future follow-up surveys.

XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL view of the hard state of EXO 1745-248 during its 2015 outburst

Abstract: Context. Transient low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) often show outbursts that typically last a few weeks and are characterized by a high X-ray luminosity (L x ≈ 1036 −1038 erg s-1 ), while most of the time they are found in X-ray quiescence (L X ≈ 1031 −1033 erg s-1 ). The source EXO 1745−248 is one of them. Aims. The broad-band coverage and sensitivity of the instrument on board XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL offers the opportunity of characterizing the hard X-ray spectrum during the outburst of EXO 1745−248.Methods. We report on quasi-simultaneous XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL observations of the X-ray transient EXO 1745−248 located in the globular cluster Terzan 5, performed ten days after the beginning of the outburst (on 2015 March 16) of the source between March and June 2015. The source was caught in a hard state, emitting a 0.8−100 keV luminosity of ≃ 1037 erg s-1 .Results. The spectral continuum was dominated by thermal Comptonization of seed photons with temperature k T in ≃ 1.3 keV, by a cloud with a moderate optical depth τ ≃ 2, and with an electron temperature of k T e ≃ 40 keV. A weaker soft thermal component at temperature k T th ≃ 0.6−0.7 keV and compatible with a fraction of the neutron star radius was also detected. A rich emission line spectrum was observed by the EPIC-pn on board XMM-Newton ; features at energies compatible with K-α transitions of ionized sulfur, argon, calcium, and iron were detected, with a broadness compatible with either thermal Compton broadening or Doppler broadening in the inner parts of an accretion disk truncated at 20 ± 6 gravitational radii from the neutron star. Strikingly, at least one narrow emission line ascribed to neutral or mildly ionized iron is needed to model the prominent emission complex detected between 5.5 and 7.5 keV. The different ionization state and broadness suggest an origin in a region located farther from the neutron star than where the other emission lines are produced. Seven consecutive type I bursts were detected during the XMM-Newton observation, none of which showed hints of photospheric radius expansion. A thorough search for coherent pulsations from the EPIC-pn light curve did not result in any significant detection. Upper limits ranging from a few to 15% on the signal amplitude were set, depending on the unknown spin and orbital parameters of the system.

An XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL view on the hard state of EXO 1745-248 during its 2015 outburst

Abstract: CONTEXT - Transient low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) often show outbursts lasting typically a few-weeks and characterized by a high X-ray luminosity ($L_{x} \approx 10^{36}-10^{38}$ erg/sec), while for most of the time they are found in X-ray quiescence ($L_X\approx10^{31} -10^{33}$ erg/sec). EXO 1745-248 is one of them. AIMS - The broad-band coverage, and the sensitivity of instrument on board of {\xmm} and {\igr}, offers the opportunity to characterize the hard X-ray spectrum during {\exo} outburst. METHODS - In this paper we report on quasi-simultaneous {\xmm} and {\igr} observations of the X-ray transient {\exo} located in the globular cluster Terzan 5, performed ten days after the beginning of the outburst (on 2015 March 16th) shown by the source between March and June 2015. The source was caught in a hard state, emitting a 0.8-100 keV luminosity of $\simeq10^{37}$~{\lumcgs}. RESULTS - The spectral continuum was dominated by thermal Comptonization of seed photons with temperature $kT_{in}\simeq1.3$ keV, by a cloud with moderate optical depth $\tau\simeq2$ and electron temperature $kT_e\simeq 40$ keV. A weaker soft thermal component at temperature $kT_{th}\simeq0.6$--0.7 keV and compatible with a fraction of the neutron star radius was also detected. A rich emission line spectrum was observed by the EPIC-pn on-board {\xmm}; features at energies compatible with K-$\alpha$ transitions of ionized sulfur, argon, calcium and iron were detected, with a broadness compatible with either thermal Compton broadening or Doppler broadening in the inner parts of an accretion disk truncated at $20\pm6$ gravitational radii from the neutron star. Strikingly, at least one narrow emission line ascribed to neutral or mildly ionized iron is needed to model the prominent emission complex detected between 5.5 and 7.5 keV. (Abridged)

Optical pulsations from a transitional millisecond pulsar

Abstract: Weakly magnetic, millisecond spinning neutron stars attain their very fast rotation through a 1E8-1E9 yr long phase during which they undergo disk-accretion of matter from a low mass companion star. They can be detected as accretion-powered millisecond X-ray pulsars if towards the end of this phase their magnetic field is still strong enough to channel the accreting matter towards the magnetic poles. When mass transfer is much reduced or ceases altogether, pulsed emission generated by particle acceleration in the magnetosphere and powered by the rotation of the neutron star is observed, preferentially in the radio and gamma-ray bands. A few transitional millisecond pulsars that swing between an accretion-powered X-ray pulsar regime and a rotationally-powered radio pulsar regime in response to variations of the mass in-flow rate have been recently identified. Here we report the detection of optical pulsations from a transitional pulsar, the first ever from a millisecond spinning neutron star. The pulsations were observed when the pulsar was surrounded by an accretion disk and originated inside the magnetosphere or within a few hundreds of kilometres from it. Energy arguments rule out reprocessing of accretion-powered X-ray emission and argue against a process related to accretion onto the pulsar polar caps; synchrotron emission of electrons in a rotation-powered pulsar magnetosphere seems more likely.

Pulsator-like spectra from Ultraluminous X-ray sources and the search for more ultraluminous pulsars

Abstract: Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are a population of extragalactic objects whose luminosity exceeds the Eddington limit for a 10 Msun black hole (BH). Their properties have been widely interpreted in terms of accreting stellar-mass or intermediate-mass BHs. However at least three neutron stars (NSs) have been recently identified in ULXs through the discovery of periodic pulsations. Motivated by these findings we studied the spectral properties of a sample of bright ULXs using a simple continuum model which was extensively used to fit the X-ray spectra of accreting magnetic NSs in the Galaxy. We found that such a model, consisting of a power-law with a high-energy exponential cut-off, fits very well most of the ULX spectra analyzed here, at a level comparable to that of models involving an accreting BH. On these grounds alone we suggest that other non-pulsating ULXs may host NSs. We found also that above 2 keV the spectrum of known pulsating ULXs is harder than that of the majority of the other ULXs of the sample, with only IC 342 X-1 and Ho IX X-1 displaying spectra of comparable hardness. We thus suggest that these two ULXs may host an accreting NS and encourage searches for periodic pulsations in the flux.

Geodesic models of quasi-periodic-oscillations as probes of quadratic gravity

Abstract: Future very-large-area X-ray instruments (for which the effective area is larger than $>3$m$^2$) will be able to measure the frequencies of quasi-periodic oscillations~(QPOs) observed in the X-ray flux from accreting compact objects with sub-percent precision. If correctly modeled, QPOs can provide a novel way to test the strong-field regime of gravity. By using the relativistic precession model and a modified version of the epicyclic resonance model, we develop a method to test general relativity against a generic class of theories with quadratic curvature corrections. With the instrumentation being studied for future missions such as eXTP, LOFT, or STROBE-X, a measurement of at least two QPO triplets from a stellar mass black hole can set stringent constraints on the coupling parameters of quadratic gravity.

Optical photometry and spectroscopy of the low-luminosity, broad-lined Ic supernova iPTF15dld

Abstract: Core-collapse stripped-envelope supernova (SN) explosions reflect the diversity of physical parameters and evolutionary paths of their massive star progenitors. We have observed the type Ic SN iPTF15dld (z = 0.047), reported by the Palomar Transient Factory. Spectra were taken starting 20 rest-frame days after maximum luminosity and are affected by a young stellar population background. Broad spectral absorption lines associated with the SN are detected over the continuum, similar to those measured for broad-lined, highly energetic SNe Ic. The light curve and maximum luminosity are instead more similar to those of low luminosity, narrow-lined Ic SNe. This suggests a behavior whereby certain highly-stripped-envelope SNe do not produce a large amount of Ni56, but the explosion is sufficiently energetic that a large fraction of the ejecta is accelerated to higher-than-usual velocities. We estimate SN iPTF15dld had a main sequence progenitor of 20-25 Msun, produced a Ni56 mass of ~0.1-0.2 Msun, had an ejecta mass of [2-10] Msun, and a kinetic energy of [1-18] e51 erg.

The transitional millisecond pulsar IGR J18245-2452 during its 2013 outburst at X-rays and soft gamma-rays

Abstract: IGR~J18245--2452/PSR J1824--2452I is one of the rare transitional accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars, showing direct evidence of switches between states of rotation powered radio pulsations and accretion powered X-ray pulsations, dubbed transitional pulsars. IGR~J18245--2452 is the only transitional pulsar so far to have shown a full accretion episode, reaching an X-ray luminosity of $\sim10^{37}$~erg~s$^{-1}$ permitting its discovery with INTEGRAL in 2013. In this paper, we report on a detailed analysis of the data collected with the IBIS/ISGRI and the two JEM-X monitors on-board INTEGRAL at the time of the 2013 outburst. We make use of some complementary data obtained with the instruments on-board XMM-Newton and Swift in order to perform the averaged broad-band spectral analysis of the source in the energy range 0.4 -- 250~keV. We have found that this spectrum is the hardest among the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars. We improved the ephemeris, now valid across its full outburst, and report the detection of pulsed emission up to $\sim60$ keV in both the ISGRI ($10.9 \sigma$) and Fermi/GBM ($5.9 \sigma$) bandpass. The alignment of the ISGRI and Fermi GBM 20 -- 60 keV pulse profiles are consistent at a $\sim25\ \mu$s level. We compared the pulse profiles obtained at soft X-rays with \xmm\ with the soft \gr-ray ones, and derived the pulsed fractions of the fundamental and first harmonic, as well as the time lag of the fundamental harmonic, up to $150\ \mu$s, as a function of energy. We report on a thermonuclear X-ray burst detected with \Integ, and using the properties of the previously type-I X-ray burst, we show that all these events are powered primarily by helium ignited at a depth of $y_{\rm ign} \approx 2.7\times10^8$ g cm${}^{-2}$. For such a helium burst the estimated recurrence time of $\Delta t_{\rm rec}\approx5.6$ d is in agreement with the observations.

The study on behaviour of thin accretion disc affected byPoynting–Robertson effect

Abstract: This study deals with the structure of a thin accretion disc under the influence of radiation pressure and Poynting-Roberson effect. The disc is approximated by inhomogeneous dust consisting of point-like particles in vicinity of a point-like source of radiation. We have developed code PR Trajectories which computes trajectories of millions of particles forming an accretion disc and provides a lot of informations about the accretion disc.