Optical precursors to X-ray binary outbursts

Abstract

Disc instability models predict that for X-ray binaries in quiescence, there should be a brightening of the optical flux prior to an X-ray outburst. Tracking the X-ray variations of X-ray binaries in quiescence is generally not possible, so optical monitoring provides the best means to measure the mass accretion rate variability between outbursts, and to identify the beginning stages of new outbursts. With our regular Faulkes Telescope/Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) monitoring we are routinely detecting the optical rise of new X-ray binary outbursts before they are detected by X-ray all-sky monitors. We present examples of detections of an optical rise in X-ray binaries prior to X-ray detection. We also present initial optical monitoring of the new black hole transient MAXI J1820+070 (ASASSN-18ey) with the Faulkes, LCO telescopes and Al Sadeem Observatory in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Finally, we introduce our new real-time data analysis pipeline, the 'X-ray Binary New Early Warning System (XB-NEWS)' which aims to detect and announce new X-ray binary outbursts within a day of first optical detection. This will allow us to trigger X-ray and multi-wavelength campaigns during the very early stages of outbursts, to constrain the outburst triggering mechanism.

Accepted to Astronomische Nachrichten/Astronomical Notes (proceedings of XMM-Newton workshop 'Time-Domain Astronomy: A High Energy View', ESAC, Madrid, Spain, 13-15 June 2018)

References in corpus (18)

• Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network
• The disc instability model of dwarf-novae and low-mass X-ray binary transients
• The MAXI Mission on the ISS: Science and Instruments for Monitoring All Sky X-Ray Images
• The Swift/BAT Hard X-ray Transient Monitor
• The Properties of X-Ray and Optical Light Curves of X-Ray Novae
• The disc instability model for X-ray transients: evidence for truncation and irradiation
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• Advection-Dominated Flows and the X-ray Delay in the Outburst of GRO J1655-40
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• The 2002 Outburst of the Black-Hole X-ray Binary 4U 1543-47: Optical and Infrared Light Curves
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• Events leading up to the June 2015 outburst of V404 Cyg
• The Double-Peaked 2008 Outburst of the Accreting Milli-Second X-ray Pulsar, IGR J00291+5934
• A "high-hard" outburst of the black hole X-ray binary GS 1354-64
• An ``outside-in'' outburst of Aql X--1
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• Monitoring LMXBs with the Faulkes Telescopes
• Multiwavelength monitoring of a very active dwarf nova AX J1549.8$-$5416 with an unusually high duty cycle

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• The Weizmann Fast Astronomical Survey Telescope (W-FAST): System Overview
• MeerKAT radio observations of the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary Cen X-4 at low accretion rates
• A 350-MHz Green Bank Telescope Survey of Unassociated Fermi LAT Sources: Discovery and Timing of Ten Millisecond Pulsars
• Optical and Ultraviolet Monitoring of the Black Hole X-ray Binary MAXI J1820+070/ASASSN-18ey for 18 Months
• Clockwise evolution in the hardness-intensity diagram of the black hole X-ray binary Swift J1910.2-0546
• A Multi-wavelength Characterization of the 2023 Outburst of MAXI J1807+132: Manifestations of Disk Instability and Jet Emission
• The Accretion-Ejection Connection in the Black Hole X-ray Binary MAXI J1820$+$070
• H$\beta$ spectroscopy of the high-inclination black hole transient Swift J1357.2-0933 during quiescence
• Tracking optical variability and outflows across the accretion states of the black hole transient MAXI J1820+070
• Relating Peak Optical Luminosity and Orbital Period of Stellar-Mass Black Holes in X-ray Binaries
• A multi-wavelength study of GRS 1716-249 in outburst : constraints on its system parameters
• Rapid far-infrared spectral timing of X-ray binaries with PRIMA
• Large optical modulations during 2018 outburst of MAXI J1820+070 reveal evolution of warped accretion disc through X-ray state change