Swift/XRT observations of the neutron-star X-ray transient SAX J1810.8-2609
ATel #1175; N. Degenaar, M. Klein-Wolt and R. Wijnands (University of Amsterdam)
on 9 Aug 2007; 19:38 UT
Credential Certification: Rudy Wijnands (rudy@space.mit.edu)
Subjects: X-ray, Binary, Neutron Star, Transient
Following reports of renewed activity of the neutron-star X-ray transient SAX
J1810.8-2609 (GCN 6706 and 6707), we triggered our Swift monitoring
program on very-faint X-ray transients when in outburst. As part of
this program, SAX J1810.8-2609 is currently observed on a daily basis
with Swift using ~1 ksec exposures, starting August 6, 2007.
In all our observations so far, the source X-ray spectrum can be fit using
an absorbed powerlaw model with a hydrogen column density of Nh~0.5E22
cm2 and a powerlaw index of ~2. The source flux shows a gradual
increase from ~4.7E-11 erg/cm2/s on August 6, to ~8.0E-11 erg/cm2/s
on August 8 and up to ~1.1E-10 erg/cm2/s on August 9 (2-10 keV
unabsorbed fluxes). Assuming a distance to SAX J1810.8-2609 of 5 kpc
(inferred from type-I X-ray burst analysis; Natalucci et al., 2000,
ApJ 536, 891), the derived fluxes translate into
X-ray luminosities of ~1.4E35 erg/s, ~2.4E35 erg/s and ~3.3E35 erg/s,
respectively. Swift monitoring observations of SAX J1810.8-2609 are
ongoing.
We thank the Swift team for a prompt scheduling of our monitoring
observations.
