Discovery of a new kind of explosive X-ray transient near M86
We present the discovery of a new type of explosive X-ray flash in Chandra images of the old elliptical galaxy M86. This unique event is characterized by the peak luminosity of 6 × 1042 erg s−1 for the distance of M86, the presence of precursor events, the timescale between the precursors and the ma...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc.
2013
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/23638 |
| _version_ | 1848751206022774784 |
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| author | Jonker, P. Glennie, A. Heida, M. Maccarone, T. Hodgkin, S. Nelemans, G. Miller-Jones, James Torres, M. Fender, R. |
| author_facet | Jonker, P. Glennie, A. Heida, M. Maccarone, T. Hodgkin, S. Nelemans, G. Miller-Jones, James Torres, M. Fender, R. |
| author_sort | Jonker, P. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | We present the discovery of a new type of explosive X-ray flash in Chandra images of the old elliptical galaxy M86. This unique event is characterized by the peak luminosity of 6 × 1042 erg s−1 for the distance of M86, the presence of precursor events, the timescale between the precursors and the main event (~4000 s), the absence of detectable hard X-ray and γ-ray emission, the total duration of the event, and the detection of a faint associated optical signal. The transient is located close to M86 in the Virgo cluster at the location where gas and stars are seen protruding from the galaxy probably due to an ongoing wet minor merger. We discuss the possible mechanisms for the transient and conclude that the X-ray flash could have been caused by the disruption of a compact white dwarf star by a ~104 M☉ black hole. Alternative scenarios such that of a foreground neutron star accreting an asteroid or the detection of an off-axis (short) γ-ray burst cannot be excluded at present. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:49:02Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-23638 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:49:02Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc. |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-236382017-09-13T13:59:02Z Discovery of a new kind of explosive X-ray transient near M86 Jonker, P. Glennie, A. Heida, M. Maccarone, T. Hodgkin, S. Nelemans, G. Miller-Jones, James Torres, M. Fender, R. X-rays: individual (XRT 000519) galaxies: interactions galaxies: individual (M86) black hole physics We present the discovery of a new type of explosive X-ray flash in Chandra images of the old elliptical galaxy M86. This unique event is characterized by the peak luminosity of 6 × 1042 erg s−1 for the distance of M86, the presence of precursor events, the timescale between the precursors and the main event (~4000 s), the absence of detectable hard X-ray and γ-ray emission, the total duration of the event, and the detection of a faint associated optical signal. The transient is located close to M86 in the Virgo cluster at the location where gas and stars are seen protruding from the galaxy probably due to an ongoing wet minor merger. We discuss the possible mechanisms for the transient and conclude that the X-ray flash could have been caused by the disruption of a compact white dwarf star by a ~104 M☉ black hole. Alternative scenarios such that of a foreground neutron star accreting an asteroid or the detection of an off-axis (short) γ-ray burst cannot be excluded at present. 2013 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/23638 10.1088/0004-637X/779/1/14 Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc. fulltext |
| spellingShingle | X-rays: individual (XRT 000519) galaxies: interactions galaxies: individual (M86) black hole physics Jonker, P. Glennie, A. Heida, M. Maccarone, T. Hodgkin, S. Nelemans, G. Miller-Jones, James Torres, M. Fender, R. Discovery of a new kind of explosive X-ray transient near M86 |
| title | Discovery of a new kind of explosive X-ray transient near M86 |
| title_full | Discovery of a new kind of explosive X-ray transient near M86 |
| title_fullStr | Discovery of a new kind of explosive X-ray transient near M86 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Discovery of a new kind of explosive X-ray transient near M86 |
| title_short | Discovery of a new kind of explosive X-ray transient near M86 |
| title_sort | discovery of a new kind of explosive x-ray transient near m86 |
| topic | X-rays: individual (XRT 000519) galaxies: interactions galaxies: individual (M86) black hole physics |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/23638 |