arXiv subjects

D. A. Swartz

Publications and source records attributed to D. A. Swartz.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Inflight calibration of SRG/ART-XC point spread function at large off-axis angles

The knowledge of the point spread function (PSF) of the Mikhail Pavlinsky Astronomical Roentgen Telescope - X-ray Concentrator (ART-XC) telescope aboard the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) observatory plays an especially crucial role in the detection of point X-ray sources in the all-sky survey and the studies of extended X-ray objects with low surface brightness. In this work, we calibrate the far off-axis shape of the ART-XC PSF using in-flight data of Sco X-1 and the Crab Nebula, in all-sky survey or scan mode, respectively. We demonstrate that the so-called "slewing" ART-XC PSF (in contrast to the on-axis PSF), in convolution with the detector pixels, is consistent with ground calibration performed at the Marshall Space Flight Center, and can be used to model the PSF up to large off-axis distances in all-sky survey or scan modes. The radial profile of the Crab Nebula in the 4-12 keV band shows an extended structure out to ~150" and is consistent with Sco X-1 at larger off-axis angles. Finally, we performed an analytic parametrization of the slewing ART-XC PSF as a function of energy.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2024

SRG/ART-XC all-sky X-ray survey: Catalog of sources detected during the first five surveys

We present an updated catalog of sources detected by the Mikhail Pavlinsky ART-XC telescope aboard the Spektrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) observatory during its all-sky survey. It is based on the data of the first four and the partially completed fifth scans of the sky (ARTSS1-5). The catalog comprises 1545 sources detected in the 4-12 keV energy band. The achieved sensitivity ranges between $\sim 4\times 10^{-12}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ near the ecliptic plane and $\sim 7\times 10^{-13}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ near the ecliptic poles, which is a $\sim$30-50% improvement over the previous version of the catalog based on the first two all-sky scans (ARTSS12). There are $\sim 130$ objects, excluding the expected contribution of spurious detections, that were not known as X-ray sources before the SRG/ART-XC all-sky survey. We provide information, partly based on our ongoing follow-up optical spectroscopy program, on the identification and classification of the majority of the ARTSS1-5 sources (1463), of which 173 are tentative at the moment. The majority of the classified objects (964) are extragalactic, a small fraction (30) are located in the Local Group of galaxies, and 469 are Galactic. The dominant classes of objects in the catalog are active galactic nuclei (911) and cataclysmic variables (192).

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

The X-ray polarisation of the Seyfert 1 galaxy IC 4329A

We present an X-ray spectro-polarimetric analysis of the bright Seyfert galaxy IC 4329A. The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observed the source for ~500 ks, supported by XMM-Newton (~60 ks) and NuSTAR (~80 ks) exposures. We detect polarisation in the 2-8 keV band with 2.97 sigma confidence. We report a polarisation degree of $3.3\pm1.1$ per cent and a polarisation angle of $78\pm10$ degrees (errors are 1 sigma confidence). The X-ray polarisation is consistent with being aligned with the radio jet, albeit partially due to large uncertainties on the radio position angle. We jointly fit the spectra from the three observatories to constrain the presence of a relativistic reflection component. From this, we obtain constraints on the inclination angle to the inner disc (< 39 degrees at 99 per cent confidence) and the disc inner radius (< 11 gravitational radii at 99 per cent confidence), although we note that modelling systematics in practice add to the quoted statistical error. Our spectro-polarimetric modelling indicates that the 2-8 keV polarisation is consistent with being dominated by emission directly observed from the X-ray corona, but the polarisation of the reflection component is completely unconstrained. Our constraints on viewer inclination and polarisation degree tentatively favour more asymmetric, possibly out-flowing, coronal geometries that produce more highly polarised emission, but the coronal geometry is unconstrained at the 3 sigma level.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Uncovering the geometry of the hot X-ray corona in the Seyfert galaxy NGC4151 with IXPE

We present an X-ray spectro-polarimetric analysis of the bright Seyfert galaxy NGC4151. The source has been observed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) for 700 ks, complemented with simultaneous XMM-Newton (50 ks) and NuSTAR (100 ks) pointings. A polarization degree $Π = 4.9 {\pm} 1.1 \%$ and angle $Ψ= 86° {\pm} 7°$ east of north ($68\%$ confidence level) are measured in the 2-8 keV energy range. The spectro-polarimetric analysis shows that the polarization could be entirely due to reflection. Given the low reflection flux in the IXPE band, this requires however a reflection with a very large ($> 38 \%$) polarization degree. Assuming more reasonable values, a polarization degree of the hot corona ranging from ${\sim}4$ to ${\sim}8\%$ is found. The observed polarization degree excludes a spherical lamppost geometry for the corona, suggesting instead a slab-like geometry, possibly a wedge, as determined via Monte Carlo simulations. This is further confirmed by the X-ray polarization angle, which coincides with the direction of the extended radio emission in this source, supposed to match the disc axis. NGC4151 is the first AGN with an X-ray polarization measure for the corona, illustrating the capabilities of X-ray polarimetry and IXPE in unveiling its geometry.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

X-ray polarimetry and spectroscopy of the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary GX 9+9: an in-depth study with IXPE and NuSTAR

We report on a comprehensive analysis of simultaneous X-ray polarimetric and spectral data of the bright atoll source GX 9+9 with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) and NuSTAR. The source is significantly polarized in the 4--8 keV band, with a degree of $2.2\% \pm 0.5\%$ (uncertainty at the 68% confidence level). The NuSTAR broad-band spectrum clearly shows an iron line, and is well described by a model including thermal disk emission, a Comptonized component, and reflection. From a spectro-polarimetric fit, we obtain an upper limit to the polarization degree of the disk of 4% (at 99% confidence level), while the contribution of Comptonized and reflected radiation cannot be conclusively separated. However, the polarization is consistent with resulting from a combination of Comptonization in a boundary or spreading layer, plus reflection off the disc, which gives a significant contribution in any realistic scenario.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

The geometry of the hot corona in MCG-05-23-16 constrained by X-ray polarimetry

We report on the second observation of the radio-quiet active galactic nucleus (AGN) MCG-05-23-16 performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). The observation started on 2022 November 6 for a net observing time of 640 ks, and was partly simultaneous with NuSTAR (86 ks). After combining these data with those obtained in the first IXPE pointing on May 2022 (simultaneous with XMM-Newton and NuSTAR) we find a 2-8 keV polarization degree $Π$ = 1.6 $\pm$ 0.7 (at 68 per cent confidence level), which corresponds to an upper limit $Π$ = 3.2 per cent (at 99 per cent confidence level). We then compare the polarization results with Monte Carlo simulations obtained with the MONK code, with which different coronal geometries have been explored (spherical lamppost, conical, slab and wedge). Furthermore, the allowed range of inclination angles is found for each geometry. If the best fit inclination value from a spectroscopic analysis is considered, a cone-shaped corona along the disc axis is disfavoured.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

X-ray polarimetry of X-ray pulsar X Persei: another orthogonal rotator?

X Persei is a persistent low-luminosity X-ray pulsar of period of $\sim$835 s in a Be binary system. The field strength at the neutron star surface is not known precisely, but indirect signs indicate a magnetic field above $10^{13}$ G, which makes the object one of the most magnetized known X-ray pulsars. Here we present the results of observations X Persei performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). The X-ray polarization signal was found to be strongly dependent on the spin phase of the pulsar. The energy-averaged polarization degree in 3-8 keV band varied from several to $\sim$20 per cent over the pulse with a positive correlation with the pulsed X-ray flux. The polarization angle shows significant variation and makes two complete revolutions during the pulse period resulting in nearly nil pulse-phase averaged polarization. Applying the rotating vector model to the IXPE data we obtain the estimates for the rotation axis inclination and its position angle on the sky as well as for the magnetic obliquity. The derived inclination is close to the orbital inclination reported earlier for X Persei. The polarimetric data imply a large angle between the rotation and magnetic dipole axes, which is similar to the result reported recently for the X-ray pulsar GRO J1008$-$57. After eliminating the effect of polarization angle rotation over the pulsar phase using the best-fitting rotating vector model, the strong dependence of the polarization degree with energy was discovered with its value increasing from 0% at $\sim$2 keV to 30% at 8 keV.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

SRG/ART-XC all-sky X-ray survey: Catalog of sources detected during the first year

We present a first catalog of sources detected by the Mikhail Pavlinsky ART-XC telescope on board the SRG observatory in the 4-12 keV energy band during its ongoing all-sky survey. The catalog comprises 867 sources detected on the combined map of the first two 6-month scans of the sky (December 2019 - December 2020). The achieved sensitivity to point sources varies between ~4x10^-12 erg/s/cm2 near the ecliptic plane and ~8x10^-13 erg/s/cm2 (4-12 keV) near the ecliptic poles, and the typical localization accuracy is ~15 arcsec. Of the 750 sources of known or suspected origin in the catalog, 56% are extragalactic (mostly active galactic nuclei, AGN; and clusters of galaxies) and the rest are Galactic (mostly cataclysmic variables, CVs; and low- and high-mass X-ray binaries). For 114 sources, ART-XC has detected X-rays for the first time. Although the majority of these (~80) are expected to be spurious (given the adopted detection threshold), there can be a significant number of newly discovered astrophysical objects. We have started a program of optical follow-up observations of the new and previously unidentified X-ray sources, which has already led to the identification of several AGN and CVs. With the SRG all-sky survey planned to continue for a total of four years, we can expect the ART-XC survey in the 4-12 keV band to significantly surpass previous surveys that were carried out in similar (medium X-ray) energy bands in terms of the combination of angular resolution, sensitivity, and sky coverage.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

The ART-XC telescope on board the SRG observatory

ART-XC (Astronomical Roentgen Telescope - X-ray Concentrator) is the hard X-ray instrument with grazing incidence imaging optics on board the Spektr-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) observatory. The SRG observatory is the flagship astrophysical mission of the Russian Federal Space Program, which was successively launched into orbit around the second Lagrangian point (L2) of the Earth-Sun system with a Proton rocket from the Baikonur cosmodrome on 13 July 2019. The ART-XC telescope will provide the first ever true imaging all-sky survey performed with grazing incidence optics in the 4-30 keV energy band and will obtain the deepest and sharpest map of the sky in the energy range of 4-12 keV. Observations performed during the early calibration and performance verification phase as well as during the on-going all-sky survey that started on 12 Dec. 2019 have demonstrated that the in-flight characteristics of the ART-XC telescope are very close to expectations based on the results of ground calibrations. Upon completion of its 4-year all-sky survey, ART-XC is expected to detect ~5000 sources (~3000 active galactic nuclei, including heavily obscured ones, several hundred clusters of galaxies, ~1000 cataclysmic variables and other Galactic sources), and to provide a high-quality map of the Galactic background emission in the 4-12 keV energy band. ART-XC is also well suited for discovering transient X-ray sources. In this paper, we describe the telescope, results of its ground calibrations, major aspects of the mission, the in-flight performance of ART-XC and first scientific results.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Discovery of a radio transient in M81

We report the discovery of a radio transient in the spiral galaxy M81. The transient was detected in early 2015 as part of a two-year survey of M81 made up of 12 epochs using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. While undetected on 2014 September 12, the source was first detected on 2015 January 2, from which point it remained visible at an approximately constant luminosity of $L_{R} = 1.5 \pm 0.1 \times 10^{24}$erg s$^{-1}$ Hz$^{-1}$ at the observing frequency of 6 GHz for at least 2 months. Assuming this is a synchrotron event with a rise-time between 2.6 and 112 days, the peak luminosity (at equipartition) corresponds to a minimum energy of $10^{44} \lesssim E_{min} \lesssim 10^{46}$erg and jet power of $P_{min} \sim 10^{39}$erg s$^{-1}$, which are higher than most known X-ray binaries. Given its longevity, lack of short-term radio variability, and the absence of any multi-wavelength counterpart (X-ray luminosity $L_{X} \lesssim 10^{36}$erg s$^{-1}$), it does not behave like known Galactic or extragalactic X-ray binaries. The M81 transient radio properties more closely resemble the unidentified radio transient 43.78+59.3 discovered in M82, which has been suggested to be a radio nebula associated with an accreting source similar to SS 433. One possibility is that both the new M81 transient and the M82 transient may be the birth of a short-lived radio bubble associated with a discrete accretion event similar to those observed from the ULX Holmberg II X-1. However, it is not possible to rule out other identifications including long-term supernova shockwave interactions with the surrounding medium from a faint supernova or a background active galaxy.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

Monitoring the Very-Long-Term Variability of X-ray Sources in the Giant Elliptical Galaxy M87

We report on our search for very-long-term variability (weeks to years) in X-ray binaries (XRBs) in the giant elliptical galaxy M87. We have used archival Chandra imaging observations to characterise the long-term variability of 8 of the brightest members of the XRB population in M87. The peak brightness of some of the sources exceeded the ultra luminous X-ray source (ULX) threshold luminosity of ~ 10^{39} erg/s, and one source could exhibit dips or eclipses. We show that for one source, if it has similar modulation amplitude as in SS433, then period recoverability analysis on the current data would detect periodic modulations, but only for a narrow range of periods less than 120 days. We conclude that a dedicated monitoring campaign, with appropriately defined sampling, is essential if we are to investigate properly the nature of the long-term modulations such as those seen in Galactic sources.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2003

Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations of the globular cluster M28 and its millisecond pulsar B1821-24

We report here the results of the first Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations of the globular cluster M28 (NGC 6626). 46 X-ray sources are detected, of which 12 lie within one core radius of the center. We show that the apparently extended X-ray core emission seen with the ROSAT HRI is due to the superposition of multiple discrete sources for which we determine the X-ray luminosity function down to a limit of about 6xE30 erg/s. For the first time the unconfused phase-averaged X-ray spectrum of the 3.05-ms pulsar B1821--24 is measured and found to be best described by a power law with photon index ~ 1.2. Marginal evidence of an emission line centered at 3.3 keV in the pulsar spectrum is found, which could be interpreted as cyclotron emission from a corona above the pulsar's polar cap if the the magnetic field is strongly different from a centered dipole. The unabsorbed pulsar flux in the 0.5--8.0 keV band is ~3.5xE-13 ergs/s/cm^2. Spectral analysis of the 5 brightest unidentified sources is presented. Based on the spectral parameters of the brightest of these sources, we suggest that it is a transiently accreting neutron star in a low-mass X-ray binary, in quiescence. Fitting its spectrum with a hydrogen neutron star atmosphere model yields the effective temperature T_eff^\infty = 90^{+30}_{-10} eV and the radius R_NS^\infty = 14.5^{+6.9}_{-3.8} km. In addition to the resolved sources, we detect fainter, unresolved X-ray emission from the central core of M28. Using the Chandra-derived positions, we also report on the result of searching archival Hubble Space Telescope data for possible optical counterparts.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Luminosity functions of X-ray binaries and the dynamical history of their host galaxies

The X-ray sources observed in nearby galaxies show brightness distributions (log(N(>S))--log(S) curves) which can be described as single or broken power laws. Single power-law distributions are often found for sources in galaxies with vigorous ongoing star-formation activity, while broken power laws are found in elliptical galaxies and in bulges of spiral galaxies. The luminosity break can be caused by a population of X-ray binaries which contain a neutron star accreting at the Eddington limit or by aging of the X-ray binary population. We show that a simple birth-death model can reproduce single and broken power-law log(N(>S))--log(S) curves. We have found that power-law log(N(>S))--log(S) curves are a consequence of smooth continuous formation of X-ray binaries and a luminosity break is the signature of a starburst episode in the recent past. The luminosity break is robust and is determined by the lifespans of the X-ray binaries relative to the look-back time to the starburst epoch. The model successfully explains the different forms of log(N(>S))--log(S) curves for the disk and bulge sources in the spiral galaxy M81.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Measurements with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory's flight contamination monitor

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory includes a Flight Contamination Monitor (FCM), a system of 16 radioactive calibration sources mounted to the inside of the Observatory's forward contamination cover. The purpose of the FCM is to verify the ground-to-orbit transfer of the Chandra flux scale, through comparison of data acquired during the ground calibration with those obtained in orbit, immediately prior to opening the Observatory's sun-shade door. Here we report results of these measurements, which place limits on the change in mirror--detector system response and, hence, on any accumulation of molecular contamination on the mirrors' iridium-coated surfaces.

astro-ph↗