A peculiar type-I X-ray burst from GRS 1747-312

Abstract

We report the serendipitous detection with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer of a long and peculiar X-ray burst whose localization is consistent with one known X-ray burster (GRS 1747-312) and which occurred when that source was otherwise quiescent. The peculiar feature concerns a strong radius expansion of the neutron star photosphere, which occurred not within a few seconds from the start of the burst, as is standard in radius-expansion bursts, but 20 s later. This suggests that two different layers of the neutron star may have undergone thermonuclear runaways: a hydrogen-rich and a hydrogen-poor layer. The reason for the delay may be related to the source being otherwise quiescent.

Submitted to A&A (5 pages, 5 figures)

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• The 2011 Outburst of Recurrent Nova T Pyx: X-ray Observations Expose the White Dwarf Mass and Ejection Dynamics
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• The puzzling orbital period evolution of the low mass X-ray binary AX J1745.6-2901
• An Ultra Low Mass and Small Radius Compact Object in 4U 1746-37?
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• NICER Discovers Spectral Lines During Photospheric Radius Expansion Bursts from 4U 1820-30: Evidence for Burst-driven Winds
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• Evidence for the photoionization absorption edge in a photospheric radius expansion X-ray burst from GRS 1747$-$312 in Terzan 6
• The MAVERIC Survey: Variable Jet-Accretion Coupling in Luminous Accreting Neutron Stars in Galactic Globular Clusters
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