XMM-Newton observations of IGR J00291+5934: signs of a thermal spectral component during quiescence

Abstract

We present X-ray observations of the transient accretion-powered millisecond pulsar IGR J00291+5934 during quiescence. IGR J00291+5934 is the first source among accretion powered millisecond pulsars to show signs of a thermal component in its quiescent spectrum. Fitting this component with a neutron star atmosphere or a black body model we obtain soft temperatures (~64 eV and ~110 eV, respectively). As in other sources of this class a hard spectral component is also present, comprising more than 60% of the unabsorbed 0.5-10 keV flux. Interpreting the soft component as cooling emission from the neutron star, we can conclude that the compact object can be spun up to milliscond periods by accreting only <0.2 solar masses.

arXiv comment5 pages - 2 figures. Accepted for publication on ApJL

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• Cooling of Accretion-Heated Neutron Stars
• Spin down during quiescence of the fastest known accretion-powered pulsar
• UltraCompCAT: a comprehensive Catalogue of Ultra-Compact and Short Orbital Period X-ray Binaries
• A cold neutron star in the transient low-mass X-ray binary HETE J1900.1-2455 after 10 years of active accretion
• The quiescent X-ray properties of the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar and eclipsing binary Swift J1749.4-2807
• A systematic study of the advection-dominated accretion flow for the origin of the X-ray emission in weakly magnetized low-level accreting neutron star
• The puzzling case of the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar IGR J00291+5934: flaring optical emission during quiescence
• The quiescent counterpart of the peculiar X-ray burster SAX J2224.9+5421