arXiv subjects

T. Di Salvo

Publications and source records attributed to T. Di Salvo.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Investigating the nature and properties of MAXI J1810-222 with radio and X-ray observations

We present results from radio and X-ray observations of the X-ray transient MAXI J1810-222. The nature of the accretor in this source has not been identified. In this paper, we show results from a quasi-simultaneous radio and X-ray monitoring campaign taken with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), the Neil Gehrels Swift observatory X-ray telescope (XRT), and the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT). We also analyse the X-ray temporal behaviour using observations from the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER). Results show a seemingly peculiar X-ray spectral evolution of MAXI J1810-222 during this outburst, where the source was initially only detected in the soft X-ray band for the early part of the outburst. Then, ~200 days after MAXI J1810-222 was first detected the hard X-ray emission increased and the source transitioned to a long-lived (~1.5 years) bright, harder X-ray state. After this hard state, MAXI J1810-222 returned back to a softer state, before fading and transitioning again to a harder state and then appearing to follow a more typical outburst decay. From the X-ray spectral and timing properties, and the source's radio behaviour, we argue that the results from this study are most consistent with MAXI J1810-222 being a relatively distant ($\gtrsim$6 kpc) black hole X-ray binary. A sufficiently large distance to source can simply explain the seemingly odd outburst evolution that was observed, where only the brightest portion of the outburst was detectable by the all-sky X-ray telescopes.

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arXiv2021

Spectral analysis of the low-mass X-ray pulsar 4U 1822-371: Reflection component in a high-inclination system

The X-ray source 4U 1822-371 is an eclipsing low-mass X-ray binary and X-ray pulsar, hosting a NS that shows periodic pulsations in the X-ray band. The inclination angle of the system is so high that in principle, it should be hard to observe both the direct thermal emission of the central object and the reflection component of the spectrum because they are hidden by the outer edge of the accretion disc. Assuming that the source accretes at the Eddington limit, we analysed non-simultaneous XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations and studied the average broadband spectrum, with the aim to investigate the presence of a reflection component. No such component has been observed before in a high-inclination source such as 4U 1822-371. We modelled the spectral emission of the source using two different reflection models, Diskline plus Pexriv and the self-consistent model RfxConv. In our analysis, we find significant evidence of a reflection component in the spectrum, in addition to two lines associated with neutral or mildly ionised iron. The continuum spectrum is well fitted by a saturated Comptonisation model and a thermal black-body component emitted by the accretion disc at a lower temperature. We updated the ephemeris, adding two new eclipse times to the most recent ephemeris reported in literature. In our proposed scenario, the source is accreting at the Eddington limit with an intrinsic luminosity of $10^{38}$ erg/s, while the observed luminosity is two orders of magnitude lower. Despite the high inclination, we find that a reflection component is required to fit residuals at the Fe line range and the hard excess observed in the spectrum. The best-fit value of the inner disc radius is still uncertain and model dependent. More observations are therefore needed to confirm these results, which can give important information on this enigmatic and peculiar source.

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arXiv2021

Tracking the evolution of the accretion flow in MAXI J1820+070 during its hard state with the JED-SAD model

X-ray binaries in outburst typically show two canonical X-ray spectral states, i.e. hard and soft states, in which the physical properties of the accretion flow and of the jet are known to change. Recently, the JED-SAD paradigm has been proposed for black hole X-ray binaries, aimed to address the accretion-ejection interplay in these systems. According to this model, the accretion flow is composed by an outer standard Shakura-Sunyaev disk (SAD) and an inner hot Jet Emitting Disk (JED). The JED produces both the hard X-ray emission, effectively playing the role of the hot corona, and the radio jets. In this paper, we use the JED-SAD model to describe the evolution of the accretion flow in the black hole transient MAXI J1820+070 during its hard and hard-intermediate states. Contrarily to the previous applications of this model, the Compton reflection component has been taken into account. We use eight broadband X-rays spectra, including NuSTAR, NICER and Swift data, providing a total spectral coverage of 0.8-190 keV. The data were directly fitted with the JED-SAD model. Our results suggest that the optically thick disk (i.e. the SAD) does not extend down to the ISCO in any of the considered epochs. In particular, as the system evolves towards the hard/intermediate state, we find that the inner radius decreases from $\sim$60 R$_{\rm G}$ in the first observation down to $\sim$30 R$_{\rm G}$ in the last one. This trend is accompanied by an increase of the mass-accretion rate. In all hard-intermediate state observations, two reflection components, characterized by different values of ionization, are required to adequately explain the data. These components likely originate from different regions of the SAD. We show that a flared outer disk could, in principle, explain the double reflection component.

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arXiv2021

Fe K$α$ and Fe K$β$ line detection in the NuSTAR spectrum of the ultra-bright Z-source Scorpius X-1

Low-mass X-ray binaries hosting a low-magnetised neutron star, which accretes matter via Roche-lobe overflow, are generally grouped in two classes, named Atoll and Z sources after the path described in their X-ray colour-colour diagrams. Scorpius X-1 is the brightest persistent low-mass X-ray binary known so far, and it is the prototype of the Z sources. We analysed the first NuSTAR observation of this source to study its spectral emission exploiting the high statistics data collected by this satellite. Examining the colour-colour diagram, the source was probably observed during the lower normal and flaring branches of its Z-track. We separated the data from the two branches in order to investigate the evolution of the source along the track. We fitted the 3-60 keV NuSTAR spectra using the same models for both the branches. We adopted two description for the continuum: in the first case we used a blackbody and a thermal Comptonisation with seed photons originating in the accretion disc; in the second one, we adopted a disc-blackbody and a Comptonisation with a blackbody-shaped spectrum of the incoming seed photons. A power-law fitting the high energy emission above 20 keV was also required in both cases. The two models provide the same physical scenario for the source in both the branches: a blackbody temperature between 0.8 and 1.5 keV, a disc-blackbody with temperature between 0.4 and 0.6 keV, and an optically thick Comptonising corona with optical depth between 6 and 10 and temperature about 3 keV. Furthermore, two lines related to the K$α$ and K$β$ transitions of the He-like Fe XXV ions were detected at 6.6 keV and 7.8 keV, respectively. A hard tail modelled by a power law with a photon index between 2 and 3 was also required for both the models.

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arXiv2021

Time Domain Astronomy with the THESEUS Satellite

THESEUS is a medium size space mission of the European Space Agency, currently under evaluation for a possible launch in 2032. Its main objectives are to investigate the early Universe through the observation of gamma-ray bursts and to study the gravitational waves electromagnetic counterparts and neutrino events. On the other hand, its instruments, which include a wide field of view X-ray (0.3-5 keV) telescope based on lobster-eye focusing optics and a gamma-ray spectrometer with imaging capabilities in the 2-150 keV range, are also ideal for carrying out unprecedented studies in time domain astrophysics. In addition, the presence onboard of a 70 cm near infrared telescope will allow simultaneous multi-wavelegth studies. Here we present the THESEUS capabilities for studying the time variability of different classes of sources in parallel to, and without affecting, the gamma-ray bursts hunt.

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arXiv2021

Optical and ultraviolet pulsed emission from an accreting millisecond pulsar

Millisecond spinning, low magnetic field neutron stars are believed to attain their fast rotation in a 0.1-1 Gyr-long phase during which they accrete matter endowed with angular momentum from a low-mass companion star. Despite extensive searches, coherent periodicities originating from accreting neutron star magnetospheres have been detected only at X-ray energies and in ~10% of the presently known systems. Here we report the detection of optical and ultraviolet coherent pulsations at the X-ray period of the transient low mass X-ray binary system SAX J1808.4-3658, during an accretion outburst that occurred in August 2019. At the time of the observations, the pulsar was surrounded by an accretion disc, displayed X-ray pulsations and its luminosity was consistent with magnetically funneled accretion onto the neutron star. Current accretion models fail to account for the luminosity of both optical and ultraviolet pulsations; these are instead more likely driven by synchro-curvature radiation in the pulsar magnetosphere or just outside of it. This interpretation would imply that particle acceleration can take place even when mass accretion is going on, and opens up new perspectives in the study of coherent optical/UV pulsations from fast spinning accreting neutron stars in low-mass X-ray binary systems.

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arXiv2021

GrailQuest & HERMES: Hunting for Gravitational Wave Electromagnetic Counterparts and Probing Space-Time Quantum Foam

GrailQuest (Gamma-ray Astronomy International Laboratory for Quantum Exploration of Space-Time) is an ambitious astrophysical mission concept that uses a fleet of small satellites whose main objective is to search for a dispersion law for light propagation in vacuo. Within Quantum Gravity theories, different models for space-time quantization predict relative discrepancies of the speed of photons w.r.t. the speed of light that depend on the ratio of the photon energy to the Planck energy. This ratio is as small as 1E-23 for photons in the gamma-ray band (100 keV). Therefore, to detect this effect, light must propagate over enormous distances and the experiment must have extraordinary sensitivity. Gamma-Ray Bursts, occurring at cosmological distances, could be used to detect this tiny signature of space-time granularity. This can be obtained by coherently combine a huge number of small instruments distributed in space to act as a single detector of unprecedented effective area. This is the first example of high-energy distributed astronomy: a new concept of modular observatory of huge overall collecting area consisting in a fleet of small satellites in low orbits, with sub-microsecond time resolution and wide energy band (keV-MeV). The enormous number of collected photons will allow to effectively search these energy dependent delays. Moreover, GrailQuest will allow to perform temporal triangulation of impulsive events with arc-second positional accuracies: an extraordinary sensitive X-ray/Gamma all-sky monitor crucial for hunting the elusive electromagnetic counterparts of Gravitational Waves, that will play a paramount role in the future of Multi-messenger Astronomy. A pathfinder of GrailQuest is already under development through the HERMES (High Energy Rapid Modular Ensemble of Satellites) project: a fleet of six 3U cube-sats to be launched by the end of 2022.

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arXiv2021

Timing techniques applied to distributed modular high-energy astronomy: the HERMES project

The HERMES-TP/SP (High Energy Rapid Modular Ensemble of Satellites -- Technologic and Scientific Pathfinder) is an in-orbit demonstration of the so-called distributed astronomy concept. Conceived as a mini-constellation of six 3U nano-satellites hosting a new miniaturized detector, HERMES-TP/SP aims at the detection and accurate localisation of bright high-energy transients such as Gamma-Ray Bursts. The large energy band, the excellent temporal resolution and the wide field of view that characterize the detectors of the constellation represent the key features for the next generation high-energy all-sky monitor with good localisation capabilities that will play a pivotal role in the future of Multi-messenger Astronomy. In this work, we will describe in detail the temporal techniques that allow the localisation of bright transient events taking advantage of their almost simultaneous observation by spatially spaced detectors. Moreover, we will quantitatively discuss the all-sky monitor capabilities of the HERMES Pathfinder as well as its achievable accuracies on the localisation of the detected Gamma-Ray Bursts.

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arXiv2020

Evidence of a non-conservative mass transfer in the ultra-compact X-ray source XB 1916-053

The dipping source XB 1916-053 is a compact binary system with an orbital period of 50 min harboring a neutron star. Using ten new {\it Chandra} observations and one {\it Swift/XRT} observation, we are able to extend the baseline of the orbital ephemeris; this allows us to exclude some models that explain the dip arrival times. The Chandra observations provide a good plasma diagnostic of the ionized absorber and allow us to determine whether it is placed at the outer rim of the accretion disk or closer to the compact object. From the available observations we are able to obtain three new dip arrival times extending the baseline of the orbital ephemeris from 37 to 40 years. From the analysis of the dip arrival times we confirm an orbital period derivative of $\dot{P}=1.46(3) \times 10^{-11}$ s s$^{-1}$. We show that the $\dot{P}$ value and the luminosity values are compatible with a mass accretion rate lower than 10\% of the mass transfer rate. We show that the mass ratio $q=m_2/m_1$ of 0.048 explains the apsidal precession period and the nodal precession period. The observed absorption lines are associated with the presence of \ion{Ne}{x}, \ion{Mg}{xii}, \ion{Si}{xiv}, \ion{S}{xvi,} and \ion{Fe}{xxvi} ions. We observe a redshift in the absorption lines between $1.1 \times 10^{-3}$ and $1.3 \times 10^{-3}$. By interpreting it as gravitational redshift, as recently discussed in the literature, we find that the ionized absorber is placed at a distance of $10^8$ cm from the neutron star with a mass of 1.4 M$_{\odot}$ and has a hydrogen atom density greater than $10^{15}$ cm$^{-3}$. (Abstract abridged)

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arXiv2020

The INTEGRAL view of the pulsating hard X-ray sky: from accreting and transitional millisecond pulsars to rotation-powered pulsars and magnetars

In the last 25 years, a new generation of X-ray satellites imparted a significant leap forward in our knowledge of X-ray pulsars. The discovery of accreting and transitional millisecond pulsars proved that disk accretion can spin up a neutron star to a very high rotation speed. The detection of MeV-GeV pulsed emission from a few hundreds of rotation-powered pulsars probed particle acceleration in the outer magnetosphere, or even beyond. Also, a population of two dozens of magnetars has emerged. INTEGRAL played a central role to achieve these results by providing instruments with high temporal resolution up to the hard X-ray/soft gamma-ray band and a large field of view imager with good angular resolution to spot hard X-ray transients. In this article, we review the main contributions by INTEGRAL to our understanding of the pulsating hard X-ray sky, such as the discovery and characterization of several accreting and transitional millisecond pulsars, the generation of the first catalog of hard X-ray/soft gamma-ray rotation-powered pulsars, the detection of polarization in the hard X-ray emission from the Crab pulsar, and the discovery of persistent hard X-ray emission from several magnetars.

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arXiv2020

ESA Voyage 2050 white paper -- GrailQuest: hunting for Atoms of Space and Time hidden in the wrinkle of Space-Time

GrailQuest (Gamma Ray Astronomy International Laboratory for QUantum Exploration of Space-Time) is a mission concept based on a constellation (hundreds/thousands) of nano/micro/small-satellites in low (or near) Earth orbits. Each satellite hosts a non-collimated array of scintillator crystals coupled with Silicon Drift Detectors with broad energy band coverage (keV-MeV range) and excellent temporal resolution ( below or equal 100 nanoseconds) each with effective area around 100 cm2. This simple and robust design allows for mass-production of the satellites of the fleet. This revolutionary approach implies a huge reduction of costs, flexibility in the segmented launching strategy, and an incremental long-term plan to increase the number of detectors and their performance: a living observatory for next-generation, space-based astronomical facilities. GrailQuest is conceived as an all-sky monitor for fast localisation of high signal-to-noise ratio transients in the X/gamma-ray band, e.g. the elusive electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational wave events. Robust temporal triangulation techniques will allow unprecedented localisation capabilities, in the keV-MeV band, of a few arcseconds or below, depending on the temporal structure of the transient event. The ambitious ultimate goal of this mission is to perform the first experiment, in quantum gravity, to directly probe space-time structure down to the minuscule Planck scale, by constraining or measuring a first order dispersion relation for light in vacuo. This is obtained by detecting delays between photons of different energies in the prompt emission of Gamma-ray Bursts.

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arXiv2020

Testing jet geometries and disk-jet coupling in the neutron star LMXB 4U 0614+091 with the internal shocks model

Multi-wavelength spectral energy distributions of Low Mass X-ray Binaries in the hard state are determined by the emission from a jet, for frequencies up to mid-infrared, and emission from the accretion flow in the optical to X-ray range. In the last years, the flat radio-to-mid-IR spectra of Black Hole (BH) X-ray binaries was described using the internal shocks model, which assumes that the fluctuations in the velocity of the ejecta along the jet are driven by the fluctuations in the accretion flow, described by the X-ray Power Density Spectrum (PDS). In this work we attempt to apply this model for the first time to a Neutron Star (NS) LMXB, i.e. 4U 0614+091. We used the multi-wavelength data set obtained in 2006, comprising data from radio to X-ray, and applied a model which includes an irradiated disc model for the accretion flow and an updated version of the internal shocks code for the ejection. The new version of the code allows to change the geometry of the jet for the case of non-conical jets. Only two alternative scenarios provide a satisfactory description of the data: using the X-ray PDS but in a non-conical geometry for the jet, or either using a conical geometry but with a "flicker-noise" PDS. Both scenarios would imply some differences with the results obtained with similar models on BH X-ray binaries, shedding light on the possibility that jets in NS and BH binaries might somehow have a different geometry or a different coupling with the accretion flow.

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arXiv2020

Reflection component in the Bright Atoll Source GX 9+9

GX 9+9 (4U 1728-16) is a low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) source harboring a neutron star. Although it belongs to the subclass of the bright Atoll sources together with GX 9+1, GX 3+1, and GX 13+1, its broadband spectrum is poorly studied and apparently does not show reflection features in the spectrum. To constrain the continuum well and verify whether a relativistic smeared reflection component is present, we analyze the broadband spectrum of GX 9+9 using {\it BeppoSAX} and \textit{XMM-Newton} spectra covering the 0.3-40 keV energy band. We fit the spectrum adopting a model composed of a disk-blackbody plus a Comptonized component whose seed photons have a blackbody spectrum (Eastern Model). A statistically equivalent model is composed of a Comptonized component whose seed photons have a disk-blackbody distribution plus a blackbody that mimics a saturated Comptonization likely associated with a boundary layer (Western model). Other trials did not return a good fit. The spectrum of GX 9+9 was observed in a soft state and its luminosity is $2.3 \times 10^{37}$ erg s$^{-1}$ assuming a distance to the source of 5 kpc. In the Eastern Model scenario, we find the seed-photon temperature and electron temperature of the Comptonized component to be $1.14^{+0.10}_{-0.07}$ keV and $2.80^{+0.09}_{-0.04}$ keV, respectively, while the optical depth of the Comptonizing corona is $8.9\pm0.4$. The color temperature of the inner accretion disk is $0.86^{+0.08}_{-0.02}$ keV and $0.82 \pm 0.02$ keV for the {\it BeppoSAX} and \textit{XMM-Newton} spectrum, respectively. In the Western Model scenario, instead, we find that the seed-photon temperature is $0.87 \pm 0.07$ keV and $1.01 \pm 0.08$ keV for the {\it BeppoSAX} and \textit{XMM-Newton} spectrum, respectively. (Abridged abstract)

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arXiv2020

Timing of the accreting millisecond pulsar IGR J17591-2342: evidence of spin-down during accretion

We report on the phase-coherent timing analysis of the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar IGR J17591-2342, using Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) data taken during the outburst of the source between 2018 August 15 and 2018 October 17. We obtain an updated orbital solution of the binary system. We investigate the evolution of the neutron star spin frequency during the outburst, reporting a refined estimate of the spin frequency and the first estimate of the spin frequency derivative ($\dotν \sim -7\times 10^{-14}$ Hz s$^{-1}$), confirmed independently from the modelling of the fundamental frequency and its first harmonic. We further investigate the evolution of the X-ray pulse phases adopting a physical model that accounts for the accretion material torque as well as the magnetic threading of the accretion disc in regions where the Keplerian velocity is slower than the magnetosphere velocity. From this analysis we estimate the neutron star magnetic field $B_{eq} = 2.8(3)\times10^{8}$ G. Finally, we investigate the pulse profile dependence on energy finding that the observed behaviour of the pulse fractional amplitude and lags as a function of energy are compatible with a thermal Comptonisation of the soft photons emitted from the neutron star caps.

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arXiv2019

New insights on the puzzling LMXB 1RXS J180408.9-342058: the intermediate state, the clocked type-I X-ray bursts and much more

1RXS J180408.9--342058 is a low mass X-ray binary hosting a neutron star, which shows X-ray activity at very different mass-accretion regimes, from very faint to almost the Eddington luminosity. In this work, we present a comprehensive X-ray study of this source using data from the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, NuSTAR and INTEGRAL/JEM-X. In order to follow the spectral evolution, we analysed the 2015 outburst using Swift data and three Nustar observations. Besides the canonical hard and soft spectral states, we identified the rarely observed intermediate state. This was witnessed by the appeareance of the accretion disk emission in the spectrum (at $kT_{\rm disk}$ $\sim$0.7 keV) and the simultaneous cooling of the hot corona. In addition, we also unveiled a hard tail above 30 keV in this state. In the hard state, a thermal Comptonization model with two seed photons populations ($kT_{\rm s,1}\sim 1.5$ keV and $kT_{\rm s,2}\sim 0.4$ keV, respectively) and a hot Comptonising plasma, represents the physically best motivated scenario to describe the data. We also estimated a reflection fraction below 20% in all states, while no constraints on the inclination and only lower limits on the inner disk radius could be inferred. Finally, we studied a number of type-I X-ray bursts displayed from the source, one of them at the Eddington limit (observed with JEM-X). Their characteristics, combined with the clocked behaviour observed during the intermediate state, point out H/He composition for the accreted material, which makes unlikely the helium dwarf nature for the companion.

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arXiv2019

Broadband spectral analysis of MXB 1659-298 in its soft and hard state

The X-ray transient eclipsing source MXB 1659-298 went into outburst in 1999 and 2015. During these two outbursts the source was observed by XMM-Newton, nuSTAR, and Swift/XRT. Using these observations, we studied the broadband spectrum of the source to constrain the continuum components and to verify whether it had a reflection component, as is observed in other X-ray eclipsing transient sources. We combined the available spectra to study the soft and hard state of the source in the 0.45-55 keV energy range. We report a reflection component in the soft and hard state. The direct emission in the soft state can be modeled with a thermal component originating from the inner accretion disk plus a Comptonized component associated with an optically thick corona surrounding the neutron star. On the other hand, the direct emission in the hard state is described only by a Comptonized component with a temperature higher than 130 keV; this component is associated with an optically thin corona. We observed narrow absorption lines from highly ionized ions of oxygen, neon, and iron in the soft spectral state. We investigated where the narrow absorption lines form in the ionized absorber. The equivalent hydrogen column density associated with the absorber is close to $6 \times 10^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$ and $1.3 \times 10^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$ in the soft and hard state, respectively.

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arXiv2019

Broadband spectral analysis of MXB 1659-298 in its soft and hard state

The X-ray transient eclipsing source MXB 1659-298 went in outburst in 1999 and 2015, respectively, during which it was observed by XMM-Newton, NuSTAR and Swift. Using these observations we studied the broadband spectrum of the source to constrain the continuum components and to verify the presence of a reflection component. We analysed the soft and hard state of the source, finding that the soft state can be modelled with a thermal component associated with the inner accretion disc plus a Comptonised component. A smeared reflection component and the presence of an ionised absorber are also requested in the best-fit model. On the other hand, the direct continuum emission in the hard state can be described by a Comptonised component with a temperature larger than 150 keV. Also in this case a reflection component and a ionised absorber are observed.

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arXiv2019

Pulsating in unison at optical and X-ray energies: simultaneous high-time resolution observations of the transitional millisecond pulsar PSR J1023+0038

PSR J1023+0038 is the first millisecond pulsar discovered to pulsate in the visible band; such a detection took place when the pulsar was surrounded by an accretion disk and also showed X-ray pulsations. We report on the first high time resolution observational campaign of this transitional pulsar in the disk state, using simultaneous observations in the optical (TNG, NOT, TJO), X-ray (XMM-Newton, NuSTAR, NICER), infrared (GTC) and UV (Swift) bands. Optical and X-ray pulsations were detected simultaneously in the X-ray high intensity mode in which the source spends $\sim$ 70% of the time, and both disappeared in the low mode, indicating a common underlying physical mechanism. In addition, optical and X-ray pulses were emitted within a few km, had similar pulse shape and distribution of the pulsed flux density compatible with a power-law relation $F_ν \propto ν^{-0.7}$ connecting the optical and the 0.3-45 keV X-ray band. Optical pulses were detected also during flares with a pulsed flux reduced by one third with respect to the high mode; the lack of a simultaneous detection of X-ray pulses is compatible with the lower photon statistics. We show that magnetically channeled accretion of plasma onto the surface of the neutron star cannot account for the optical pulsed luminosity ($\sim 10^{31}$ erg/s). On the other hand, magnetospheric rotation-powered pulsar emission would require an extremely efficient conversion of spin-down power into pulsed optical and X-ray emission. We then propose that optical and X-ray pulses are instead produced by synchrotron emission from the intrabinary shock that forms where a striped pulsar wind meets the accretion disk, within a few light cylinder radii away, $\sim$ 100 km, from the pulsar.

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