Swift observations of SAX J1808.4-3658: Monitoring the return to quiescence

Sergio Campana; Luigi Stella; Jamie A. Kennea

doi:10.1086/592002

Swift observations of SAX J1808.4-3658: Monitoring the return to quiescence

Sergio Campana, Luigi Stella, Jamie A. Kennea

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

40 Scopus citations

Abstract

The transient accreting millisecond pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658 has shown several outbursts to date but the transition from outburst to quiescence has never been investigated in detail. Thanks to the Swift observing flexibility, we monitored for the first time the decay to quiescence during the 2005 outburst. At variance with other transients, wide luminosity variations are observed. In addition, close to quiescence, SAX J1808.4-3658 seems to switch between two different states. We interpret them in terms of the accretion states accessible to a magnetized, fast-rotating neutron star.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L99-L102
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	684
Issue number	2 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/592002
State	Published - 2008

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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title = "Swift observations of SAX J1808.4-3658: Monitoring the return to quiescence",

abstract = "The transient accreting millisecond pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658 has shown several outbursts to date but the transition from outburst to quiescence has never been investigated in detail. Thanks to the Swift observing flexibility, we monitored for the first time the decay to quiescence during the 2005 outburst. At variance with other transients, wide luminosity variations are observed. In addition, close to quiescence, SAX J1808.4-3658 seems to switch between two different states. We interpret them in terms of the accretion states accessible to a magnetized, fast-rotating neutron star.",

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AU - Stella, Luigi

AU - Kennea, Jamie A.

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AB - The transient accreting millisecond pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658 has shown several outbursts to date but the transition from outburst to quiescence has never been investigated in detail. Thanks to the Swift observing flexibility, we monitored for the first time the decay to quiescence during the 2005 outburst. At variance with other transients, wide luminosity variations are observed. In addition, close to quiescence, SAX J1808.4-3658 seems to switch between two different states. We interpret them in terms of the accretion states accessible to a magnetized, fast-rotating neutron star.

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