From outburst to quiescence: the decay of the transient Anomalous X-ray Pulsar XTE J1810-197

Abstract

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 magnetar candidate over a flux range of about two orders of magnitude. We analyzed nine XMM-Newton observations of XTE J1810-197 collected over a four years baseline (September 2003 - September 2007). EPIC PN and MOS data were reduced and used for detailed timing and spectral analysis. Pulse phase spectroscopic studies were also carried out for observations with sufficiently high signal to noise. We find that: (i) a three blackbodies model reproduces the spectral properties of the source over the entire outburst statistically better than the two blackbodies model previously used in the literature, (ii) the coldest blackbody is consistent with the thermal emission from the whole surface, and has temperature and radius similar to those inferred from ROSAT observations before the outburst onset, (iii) there is a spectral feature around 1.1 keV during six consecutive observations (since March 2005); if due to proton resonant cyclotron scattering, it would imply a magnetic field of around 2E14 G. This is in a very good agreement with the value from the spin period measurements.

arXiv comment16 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication on A&A on 10/1/2009

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• Magnetars: the physics behind observations
• Systematic study of magnetar outbursts
• The Correlation between Dispersion Measure and X-ray Column Density from Radio Pulsars
• The first outburst of the new magnetar candidate SGR 0501+4516
• SGRs and AXPs as rotation powered massive white dwarfs
• Radio disappearance of the magnetar XTE J1810-197 and continued X-ray timing
• Magnetic field decay in neutron stars: from Soft Gamma Repeaters to "weak field magnetars"
• Multi-wavelength Observations of the Radio Magnetar PSR J1622-4950 and Discovery of its Possibly Associated Supernova Remnant
• X-ray spectra from magnetar candidates - III. Fitting SGRs/AXPs soft X-ray emission with non-relativistic Monte Carlo models
• The 2008 October Swift detection of X-ray bursts/outburst from the transient SGR-like AXP 1E 1547.0-5408
• Unambiguous Detection of Reflection in Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables: Joint NuSTAR-XMM-Newton Observations of Three Intermediate Polars
• Multi-instrument X-ray monitoring of the January 2009 outburst from the recurrent magnetar candidate 1E 1547.0-5408
• Modeling the Surface X-ray Emission and Viewing Geometry of PSR J0821-4300 in Puppis A
• Repeated, Delayed Torque Variations Following X-ray Flux Enhancements in the Magnetar 1E1048.1$-$5937
• An unified timing and spectral model for the Anomalous X-ray Pulsars XTE J1810-197 and CXOU J164710.2-455216
• The Sleeping Monster: NuSTAR observations of SGR 1806-20, 11 years after the Giant Flare
• Emission geometry, radiation pattern, and magnetic topology of the magnetar XTE J1810-197 in its quiescent state
• Long-term X-ray changes in the emission from the anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142+61
• XMM-Newton view of Swift J1834.9-0846 and its Magnetar Wind Nebula
• Physics and astrophysics of strong magnetic field systems with eXTP
• Spectral features in isolated neutron stars induced by inhomogeneous surface temperatures
• Radio and X-ray observations of giant pulses from XTE J1810-197
• X-ray and radio observations of the magnetar Swift J1834.9-0846 and its dust-scattering halo
• The variable spin-down rate of the transient magnetar XTE J1810--197
• X-ray emission from isolated neutron stars
• Long-term spectral and timing properties of the soft gamma-ray repeater SGR 1833-0832 and detection of extended X-ray emission around the radio pulsar PSR B1830-08
• The Spin-down of Swift J1822.3-1606: A New Galactic Magnetar
• Chandra observations of SGR 1627-41 near quiescence
• The imprint of the crustal magnetic field on the thermal spectra and pulse profiles of isolated neutron stars
• Evolution of the X-ray Properties of the Transient Magnetar XTE J1810-197
• The X-ray evolution and geometry of the 2018 outburst of XTE J1810-197
• Landau level-superfluid modified factor and effective X/$\gamma$-ray coefficient of a magnetar
• Pulse Phase-coherent Timing and Spectroscopy of CXOU J164710.2-45521 Outbursts
• Long-term evolution of anomalous X-ray pulsars and soft gamma repeaters
• Pair Plasma in Super-QED Magnetic Fields and the Hard X-ray/Optical Emission of Magnetars
• Long term radio and X-ray evolution of the magnetar Swift J1818.0-1607
• The 11 years of low-activity of the magnetar XTE J1810-197
• Spectral Comparison of Weak Short Bursts to the Persistent X-rays from the Magnetar 1E 1547.0-5408 in its 2009 Outburst
• The X-ray quiescence of Swift J195509.6+261406 (GRB 070610): an optical bursting X-ray binary?
• Swift J2218.4+1925: a new hard X-ray selected Polar observed with XMM-Newton
• Pulse Frequency Fluctuations of Magnetars
• Activated Magnetospheres of Magnetars
• More than meets the eye: magnetars in disguise
• XMM-Newton Observations of Two Candidate Supernova Remnants
• On the X-ray Outbursts of Transient Anomalous X-ray Pulsars and Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters
• X-ray Perspective of the Twisted Magnetospheres of Magnetars
• X-Ray Observations of Magnetar SGR 0501+4516 from Outburst to Quiescence
• Quark-nova remnants IV: Application to radio emitting AXP transients
• Variable Absorption Line in XTE J1810-197
• Long-term XMM-Newton view of magnetar CXOU J010043.1$-$721134: Comprehensive spectral and temporal results
• The short bursts in SGR 1806-20, 1E 1048-5937 and SGR 0501+4516
• NICER Observations of the 2018 Outburst of XTE J1810-197