INTEGRAL/IBIS detects a new hard X-ray transient IGR J17446-2948 in the Galactic Center region

ATel #4924; R. Krivonos (1, 2), A. Lutovinov (1), S. Molkov (1), M. Revnivtsev (1), S. Tsygankov (3, 4,1), R. Sunyaev (1, 5) (1: IKI, Moscow; 2: University of California, Berkeley; 3: FINCA; 4: University of Oulu; 5: MPA, Garching)
on 29 Mar 2013; 06:21 UT
Credential Certification: Alexander Lutovinov (aal@hea.iki.rssi.ru)

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A new hard X-ray transient IGR J17446-2948 has been detected in the Galactic Center region by the IBIS/ISGRI telescope on board INTEGRAL during the Galactic Latitude Scan observations performed between March 26th, 09:20 and March 28, 20:02 (UT), 2013. The source is registered at the 6 sigma significance level with the flux 6.5+/-1.0 mCrab (9.3e-11 erg/cm2/s) in the 17-60 keV energy range. It also shows a positive excess at the 3 sigma level (4.5+/-1.3 mCrab or 6.4e-11 erg/cm2/s) in the previous data set taken between March 23th, 05:15 and March 24th, 02:20, 2013. On the combined mosaic, the source is detected with the flux 5.8+/-0.8 mCrab (8.3e-11 erg/cm2/s, 7 sigma). The position of the source determined on the combined mosaic is R.A.=17 44 41.76, Decl.=-29 48 18.0 (equinox 2000.0, uncertainty 4.2 arcmin).

The position of IGR J17446-2948 is consistent with moderately bright, rapidly variable transient XMMU J174445.5-295044 (Heinke et al., 2009). The last has been registered with the flux up to 3e-11 erg/cm2/s in the 2-10 keV energy band, that is comparable with the flux detected by INTEGRAL in the 17-60 keV energy range, indicating the source hard spectrum. Additionally note, that an activity from XMMU J174445.5-295044 in X-rays was detected in March 2012 with the JEM-X monitor on board INTEGRAL (ATel #4000). Nevertheless follow-up observations of IGR J17446-2948 are requested to identify it with XMMU J174445.5-295044.

We encourage follow-up observations of IGR J17446-2948 at all possible wavelengths.