Publications (63)
X-rays from the location of the Bactrian Transient ASASSN-15lh
R. Margutti, B. D. Metzger, R. Chornock +13
We present the detection of persistent soft X-ray radiation with L_x ~ 10^41-10^42 erg/s at the location of the extremely luminous, double-humped transient ASASSN-15lh as revealed…
A very young radio-loud magnetar
P. Esposito, N. Rea, A. Borghese +20
The magnetar Swift ,J1818.0-1607 was discovered in March 2020 when Swift detected a 9 ms hard X-ray burst and a long-lived outburst. Prompt X-ray observations revealed a spin perio…
A metal rich molecular cloud surrounds GRB 050904 at redshift 6.3
S. Campana, D. Lazzati, E. Ripamonti +7
GRB050904 is the gamma-ray burst with the highest measured redshift. We performed time resolved X-ray spectroscopy of the late GRB and early afterglow emission. We find robust evid…
The optical afterglows and host galaxies of three short/hard gamma-ray bursts
P. D'Avanzo, D. Malesani, S. Covino +17
Short GRBs are commonly thought to originate from the merging of double compact object binaries but direct evidence for this scenario is still missing. Optical observations of shor…
The frontier of darkness: the cases of GRB 040223, GRB 040422, GRB 040624
P. D'Avanzo, P. Filliatre, P. Goldoni +23
Understanding the reasons for the faintness of the optical/near-infrared afterglows of the so-called dark bursts is essential to assess whether they form a subclass of GRBs, and he…
The variable X-ray light curve of GRB 050713A: the case of refreshed shocks
D. Guetta, F. Fiore, V. D'Elia +21
We present a detailed study of the spectral and temporal properties of the X-ray and optical emission of GRB050713a up to 0.5 day after the main GRB event. The X-ray light curve ex…
Mergers of Equal-Mass Binaries with Compact Object Companions from Mass Transfer in Triple Star Systems
N. W. C. Leigh, S. Toonen, S. F. Portegies Zwart +1
In this paper, we consider triple systems composed of main-sequence (MS) stars, and their internal evolution due to stellar and binary evolution. Our focus is on triples that produ…
VLT/NACO observations of the High-Magnetic field radio pulsar PSR J1119-6127
R. P. Mignani, R. Perna, N. Rea +3
Recent radio observations have unveiled the existence of a number of radio pulsars with spin-down derived magnetic fields in the magnetar range. However, their observational proper…
Dust radiative transfer modelling of the infrared ring around the magnetar SGR 190014
G. Natale, N. Rea, D. Lazzati +3
A peculiar infrared ring-like structure was discovered by {\em Spitzer} around the strongly magnetised neutron star SGR 190014. This infrared structure was suggested to be due t…
Adaptive optics near-infrared observations of magnetars
V. Testa, N. Rea, R. P. Mignani +11
<Context>. We report on near-infrared (IR) observations of the three anomalous X-ray pulsars XTE J1810-197, 1RXS J1708-4009, 1E 1841-045 and the soft gamma-ray repeater SGR 1900+14…
Studies of Neutron Stars at Optical/IR Wavelengths
R. P. Mignani, S. Bagnulo, A. De Luca +7
In the last years, optical studies of Isolated Neutron Stars (INSs) have expanded from the more classical rotation-powered ones to other categories, like the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar…
A decreasing column density during the prompt emission from GRB000528 observed with BeppoSAX
F. Frontera, L. Amati, D. Lazzati +12
We report observation results of the prompt X-- and --ray emission from GRB 000528. This event was detected with the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor and one of the two Wide Field Camer…
On the likelihood of detecting gravitational waves from Population III compact object binaries
K. Belczynski, T. Ryu, R. Perna +3
We study the contribution of binary black hole (BH-BH) mergers from the first, metal-free stars in the Universe (Pop III) to gravitational wave detection rates. Our study combines…
Submillimetre observations of RX J1856.5--3754
B. Posselt, K. Schreyer, R. Perna +3
We report on submillimetre bolometer observations of the isolated neutron star RX J1856.5--3754 using the LABOCA bolometer array on the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) Telesco…
The prompt, high resolution spectroscopic view of the "naked-eye" GRB080319B
V. D'Elia, F. Fiore, R. Perna +21
GRB080319B reached 5th optical magnitude during the burst prompt emission. Thanks to the VLT/UVES rapid response mode, we observed its afterglow just 8m:30s after the GRB onset whe…
Probing the complex environments of GRB host galaxies and intervening systems: high resolution spectroscopy of GRB050922C
S. Piranomonte, P. A. Ward, F. Fiore +20
The aim of this paper is to investigate the environment of gamma ray bursts (GRBs) and the interstellar matter of their host galaxies. We use to this purpose high resolution spectr…
Outliers from the mainstream: how a massive star can produce a gamma-ray burst
S. Campana, N. Panagia, D. Lazzati +12
It is now recognized that long-duration Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are linked to the collapse of massive stars, based on the association between (low-redshift) GRBs and (type Ic) core…
The Chandra X-ray Spectrum of the 10.6 s Pulsar in Westerlund 1: Testing the Magnetar Hypothesis
S. L. Skinner, R. Perna, S. A. Zhekov
Two sensitive Chandra X-ray observations of the heavily-reddened galactic starburst cluster Westerlund 1 in May and June 2005 detected a previously unknown X-ray pulsar (CXO J16471…
Accurate X-ray position of the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar XTE J1810-197 and identification of its likely IR counterpart
G. L. Israel, N. Rea, V. Mangano +13
We report the accurate sub-arcsec X-ray position of the new Anomalous X-ray Pulsar (AXP) XTE J1810-197, derived with a Chndra-HRC Target of Opportunity observation carried out in N…
UVES/VLT high resolution spectroscopy of GRB 050730 afterglow: probing the features of the GRB environment
V. D'Elia, F. Fiore, E. Meurs +44
We analyze high resolution spectroscopic observations of the optical afterglow of GRB050730, obtained with UVES@VLT about hours after the GRB trigger. The spectrum shows that the I…
The X-ray outburst of the Galactic Centre magnetar SGR J1745-2900 during the first 1.5 year
F. Coti Zelati, N. Rea, A. Papitto +17
In 2013 April a new magnetar, SGR 1745-2900, was discovered as it entered an outburst, at only 2.4 arcsec angular distance from the supermassive black hole at the Centre of the Mil…
The outburst decay of the low magnetic field magnetar SGR 0418+5729
N. Rea, G. L. Israel, J. A. Pons +20
We report on the long term X-ray monitoring of the outburst decay of the low magnetic field magnetar SGR 0418+5729, using all the available X-ray data obtained with RXTE, SWIFT, Ch…
Population Synthesis of Isolated Neutron Stars with magneto-rotational evolution II: from radio-pulsars to magnetars
M. Gullón, J. A. Pons, J. A. Miralles +3
Population synthesis studies constitute a powerful method to reconstruct the birth distribution of periods and magnetic fields of the pulsar population. When this method is applied…
A new low magnetic field magnetar: the 2011 outburst of Swift J1822.3-1606
N. Rea, G. L. Israel, P. Esposito +20
We report on the long term X-ray monitoring with Swift, RXTE, Suzaku, Chandra and XMM-Newton of the outburst of the newly discovered magnetar Swift J1822.3-1606 (SGR 1822-1606), fr…
GRB environment properties through X and optical afterglow observations
M. L Conciatore, L. A. Antonelli, G. Stratta +2
We present the spectral analysis of 14 gamma-ray bursts (GRB) X-ray afterglows in order to investigate the properties of interstellar matter (ISM) along the line of sight of GRB. W…
A flash in the dark: UVES/VLT high resolution spectroscopy of GRB afterglows
F. Fiore, V. D'Elia, D. Lazzati +17
We present the first high resolution (R=20000--45000, corresponding to 14 km/s at 4200A to 6.6 km/s at 9000A) observations of the optical afterglow of Gamma Ray Bursts. GRB020813 a…
Gravity and Light: Combining Gravitational Wave and Electromagnetic Observations in the 2020s
R. J. Foley, K. D. Alexander, I. Andreoni +110
As of today, we have directly detected exactly one source in both gravitational waves (GWs) and electromagnetic (EM) radiation, the binary neutron star merger GW170817, its associa…
From outburst to quiescence: the decay of the transient Anomalous X-ray Pulsar XTE J1810-197
F. Bernardini, G. L. Israel, S. Dall'Osso +10
XTE J1810-197 is the first transient Anomalous X-ray Pulsar ever discovered. Its highly variable X-ray flux allowed us to study the timing and spectral emission properties of a mag…
On the dynamical formation of accreting intermediate mass black holes
A. G. Kuranov, S. B. Popov, K. A. Postnov +2
We compute the probability that intermediate mass black holes (IMBHs) capture companions due to dynamical interactions and become accreting sources, and explore the possibility tha…
GRB090426: the farthest short gamma-ray burst?
L. A. Antonelli, P. D Avanzo, R. Perna +23
Aims. With an observed and rest-frame duration of < 2s and < 0.5s, respectively, GRB090426 could be classified as a short GRB. The prompt detection, both from space and ground-base…
Gamma Ray Burst and star formation rates: The physical origin for the redshift evolution of their ratio
M. Trenti, R. Perna, S. Tacchella
Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) and galaxies at high redshift represent complementary probes of the star formation history of the Universe. In fact, both the GRB rate and the galaxy lumino…
UVES/VLT high resolution absorption spectroscopy of the GRB080330 afterglow: a study of the GRB host galaxy and intervening absorbers
V. D'Elia, F. Fiore, R. Perna +13
We study the Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) environment and intervening absorbers by analyzing the optical absorption features produced by gas surrounding the GRB or along its line of sight…
Gazing at the ultra-slow magnetar in RCW 103 with NuSTAR and Swift
A. Borghese, F. Coti Zelati, P. Esposito +6
We report on a new NuSTAR observation and on the ongoing Swift XRT monitoring campaign of the peculiar source 1E 161348-5055, located at the centre of the supernova remnant RCW 103…
The X-ray evolution and geometry of the 2018 outburst of XTE J1810-197
A. Borghese, N. Rea, R. Turolla +17
After 15 years, in late 2018, the magnetar XTE J1810-197 underwent a second recorded X-ray outburst event and reactivated as a radio pulsar. We initiated an X-ray monitoring campai…
The Post-Burst Awakening of the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar in Westerlund 1
G. L. Israel, S. Campana, S. Dall'Osso +4
On September 21, 2006, an intense (~10^39 erg/s) and short (20 ms) burst was detected by Swift BAT at a position consistent with that of the candidate Anomalous X-ray Pulsar, CXOU…
Searching for GRB remnants in nearby galaxies
S. G. Bhargavi, J. Rhoads, R. Perna +2
Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) are expected to leave behind GRB remnants, similar to how ``standard'' supernovae (SN) leave behind SN remnants. The identification of these remnants in our…
Can a bright and energetic X-ray pulsar be hiding amid the debris of SN 1987A?
P. Esposito, N. Rea, D. Lazzati +3
The mass of the stellar precursor of supernova (SN) 1987A and the burst of neutrinos observed at the moment of the explosion are consistent with the core-collapse formation of a ne…
Deep VLT infrared observations of X-ray Dim Isolated Neutron Stars
G. Lo Curto, R. P. Mignani, R. Perna +1
X-ray observations have unveiled the existence of a family of radio-quiet Isolated Neutron Stars whose X-ray emission is purely thermal, hence dubbed X-ray Dim Isolated Neutron Sta…
The infrared counterpart and proper motion of magnetar SGR0501+4516
A. A. Chrimes, A. J. Levan, J. D. Lyman +19
Soft gamma repeaters (SGRs) are highly magnetised neutron stars (magnetars) notable for their gamma-ray and X-ray outbursts. In this paper, we use near-infrared (NIR) imaging of SG…
A comparative study of the X-ray afterglow properties of optically bright and dark GRBs
M. De Pasquale, L. Piro, R. Perna +9
We have examined the complete set of X-ray afterglow observations of dark and optically bright GRBs performed by BeppoSAX until February 2001. X-ray afterglows are detected in 90%…
X-Ray Eclipse Time Delays in 4U2129+47
E. Bozzo, M. Falanga, A. Papitto +8
4U 2129+47 was discovered in the early 80's and classified as an accretion disk corona source due to its broad and partial X-ray eclipses. The 5.24 hr binary orbital period was inf…
Time resolved spectroscopy of GRB 021004 reveals a clumpy extended wind
D. Lazzati, R. Perna, J. Flasher +2
High resolution spectroscopy of GRB 021004 revealed a wealth of absorption lines from several intermediate ionization species. The velocity structure of the absorber is complex and…
The short GRB070707 afterglow and its very faint host galaxy
S. Piranomonte, P. D'Avanzo, S. Covino +18
We present the results from an ESO/VLT campaign aimed at studying the afterglow properties of the short/hard gamma ray burst GRB 070707. Observations were carried out at ten differ…
The X-ray outburst of the Galactic Center magnetar over six years of Chandra observations
N. Rea, F. Coti Zelati, D. Vigano' +16
The magnetar SGR J1745-2900 discovered at parsecs distance from the Milky Way central black hole, Sagittarius A*, represents the closest pulsar to a supermassive black hole ever de…
Very deep X-ray observations of the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar 4U 0142+614
N. Rea, E. Nichelli, G. L. Israel +8
We report on two new XMM-Newton observations of the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar (AXP) 4U 0142+614 performed in March and July 2004, collecting the most accurate spectrum for this source…
Micro Tidal Disruption Events in Active Galactic Nuclei
Y. Yang, I. Bartos, G. Fragione +5
Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) can act as black hole assembly lines, funneling some of the stellar-mass black holes from the vicinity of the galactic center into the inner plane of…
Extinction properties of the X-ray bright/optically faint afterglow of GRB 020405
G. Stratta, R. Perna, D. Lazzati +3
We present an optical-to-X-ray spectral analysis of the afterglow of GRB 020405. The optical spectral energy distribution not corrected for the extragalactic extinction is signific…
The multi-outburst activity of the magnetar in Westerlund I
A. Borghese, N. Rea, R. Turolla +17
After two major outbursts in 2006 and 2011, on 2017 May 16 the magnetar CXOU J164710.2-455216, hosted within the massive star cluster Westerlund I, emitted a short (20 ms) burst, w…
Deep X-ray and radio observations of the first outburst of the young magnetar Swift J1818.0-1607
A. Y. Ibrahim, A. Borghese, N. Rea +23
Swift J1818.0-1607 is a radio-loud magnetar with a spin period of 1.36 s and a dipolar magnetic field strength of B~3E14 G, which is very young compared to the Galactic pulsar popu…
Modeling the Surface X-ray Emission and Viewing Geometry of PSR J0821-4300 in Puppis A
E. V. Gotthelf, R. Perna, J. P. Halpern
We show that a pair of thermal, antipodal hot-spots on the neutron star surface is able to fully account for the pulsar's double blackbody spectrum and energy-dependent pulse profi…
The 2008 October Swift detection of X-ray bursts/outburst from the transient SGR-like AXP 1E 1547.0-5408
G. L. Israel, P. Esposito, N. Rea +17
We report on the detailed study of the 2008 October outburst from the anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) 1E 1547.0-5408 discovered through the Swift/Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) detection…
A pulsar-atmosphere model for PSR 0656+14
D. A. Lloyd, R. Perna, P. Slane +2
We present a pulsar-atmosphere (PA) model for modulated thermal X-ray emission from cooling magnetized neutron stars. The model synthesizes the spectral properties of detailed stel…
VLT/NACO near-infrared observations of the transient radio magnetar 1E 1547.0-5408
R. P. Mignani, N. Rea, V. Testa +9
Despite about a decade of observations, very little is known about the optical and infrared (IR) emission properties of the Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters (SGRs) and of the Anomalous X-r…
A strongly magnetized pulsar within grasp of the Milky Way's supermassive black hole
N. Rea, P. Esposito, J. A. Pons +21
The center of our Galaxy hosts a supermassive black hole, Sagittarius (Sgr) A*. Young, massive stars within 0.5 pc of SgrA* are evidence of an episode of intense star formation nea…
The IR counterpart to the Anomalouos X-ray Pulsar 1RXS J1708-4009
G. L. Israel, S. Covino, R. Perna +10
We report the discovery of the likely IR counterpart to the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar (AXP) 1RXS J1708-4009, based on the combination of Chandra HRC-I X-ray position, and deep optical…
Out of the darkness: the infrared afterglow of the INTEGRAL burst GRB 040422 observed with the VLT
P. Filliatre, P. D'Avanzo, S. Covino +15
GRB 040422 was detected by the INTEGRAL satellite at an angle of only 3 degrees from the Galactic plane. Analysis of the prompt emission observed with the SPI and IBIS instruments…
On the maximum efficiency of the propeller mass-ejection mechanism
M. Falanga, E. Bozzo, L. Stella +3
Aims. We derive simple estimates of the maximum efficiency with which matter can be ejected by the propeller mechanism in disk-fed, rotating magnetic neutron stars. Some binary evo…
Measuring the Non-Axially-Symmetric Surface Temperature Distribution of the Central Compact Object in Puppis A
J. A. J. Alford, E. V. Gotthelf, R. Perna +1
The surface temperature distributions of central compact objects (CCOs) are powerful probes of their crustal magnetic field strengths and geometries. Here we model the surface temp…
Optical and Infrared Observations of the X-ray source 1WGA J1713.43949 in the G347.3-0.5 SNR
R. P. Mignani, S. Zaggia, A. De Luca +3
X-ray observations unveiled the existence of enigmatic point-like sources at the centre of young supernova remnants (SNRs). These sources, dubbed Central Compact Objects (CCOs), ar…
Optical emission from GRB 050709: a short/hard GRB in a star forming galaxy
S. Covino, D. Malesani, G. L. Israel +30
We present optical observations of the short/hard gamma-ray burst GRB 050709, the first such event with an identified optical counterpart. The object is coincident with a weak X-ra…
Infrared and X-ray variability of the transient Anomalous X-ray Pulsar XTE J1810-197
N. Rea, V. Testa, G. L. Israel +10
We report on observations aimed at searching for flux variations from the proposed IR counterpart of the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar XTE J1810-197. These data, obtained in March 2004 wi…
X-ray and radio observations of the magnetar Swift J1834.9-0846 and its dust-scattering halo
P. Esposito, A. Tiengo, N. Rea +13
We present a long-term study of the 2011 outburst of the magnetar Swift J1834.9-0846 carried out using new Chandra observations, as well as all the available Swift, RXTE, and XMM-N…
Neutrino Cooled disk in GRB central engine
A. Janiuk, Y. Yuan, R. Perna +1
At the extreme densities and temperatures typical of the central engine of GRBs, the accreting torus is cooled mainly by advection and by neutrino emission. The latter process is d…