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http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/29400
Title: | Simultaneous X-Ray and Infrared Observations of Sagittarius A*'s Variability | Authors: | Boyce, H. Haggard, D. Witzel, G. Willner, S. P. Neilsen, J. Hora, J. L. Markoff, S. PONTI, GABRIELE Baganoff, F. Becklin, E. E. Fazio, G. G. Lowrance, P. Morris, M. R. Smith, H. A. |
Issue Date: | 2019 | Journal: | THE ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL | Number: | 871 | Issue: | 2 | First Page: | 161 | Abstract: | Emission from Saggitarius A* is highly variable at both X-ray and infrared (IR) wavelengths. Observations over the last ∼20 yr have revealed X-ray flares that rise above a quiescent thermal background about once per day, while faint X-ray flares from Sgr A* are undetectable below the constant thermal emission. In contrast, the IR emission of Sgr A* is observed to be continuously variable. Recently, simultaneous observations have indicated a rise in IR flux density around the same time as every distinct X-ray flare, while the opposite is not always true (peaks in the IR emission may not be coincident with an X-ray flare). Characterizing the behavior of these simultaneous X-ray/IR events and measuring any time lag between them can constrain models of Sgr A*'s accretion flow and the flare emission mechanism. Using 100+ hours of data from a coordinated campaign between the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, we present results of the longest simultaneous IR and X-ray observations of Sgr A* taken to date. The cross-correlation between the IR and X-ray light curves in this unprecedented data set, which includes four modest X-ray/IR flares, indicates that flaring in the X-ray may lead the IR by approximately 10-20 min with 68% confidence. However, the 99.7% confidence interval on the time-lag also includes zero, i.e., the flaring remains statistically consistent with simultaneity. Long-duration and simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of additional bright flares will improve our ability to constrain the flare timing characteristics and emission mechanisms, and must be a priority for Galactic Center observing campaigns. | URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/29400 | URL: | https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aaf71f | ISSN: | 0004-637X | DOI: | 10.3847/1538-4357/aaf71f | Bibcode ADS: | 2019ApJ...871..161B | Fulltext: | open |
Appears in Collections: | 1.01 Articoli in rivista |
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Boyce_2019_ApJ_871_161.pdf | pdf editoriale | 2.44 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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