MeerKAT radio detection of SAX J1810.8-2609
ATel #14659; Sara E. Motta (INAF-OAB), Evangelia Tremou (Obs. Paris), Rob Fender (Oxford, UCT), Jakob van den Eijnden (Oxford), David Williams (Uni. Manchester), Patrick Woudt (UCT), James Miller-Jones (ICRAR/Curtin), on behalf of the ThunderKAT collaboration
on 25 May 2021; 10:57 UT
Credential Certification: Sara Elisa Motta (sara.motta@physics.ox.ac.uk)
Subjects: Radio, Binary, Black Hole, Neutron Star, Transient
Following the MAXI/GSC detection of a new outburst from SAX J1810.8-2609
(ATels #14649), we observed this target with the MeerKAT radio telescope as part of the ThunderKAT Large Survey Project (Fender et al. 2016).
SAX J1810.8-2609 was observed for 15 minutes on May 22nd:01:28:09 - 01:42:57 (MJD 59356.06) at a central frequency of 1.284 GHz (L band), with a total bandwidth of 860MHz. We used J1830-3602 as phase calibrator, and J1939-6342 as band-pass calibrator.
We detected a source at a position consistent with SAX J1810.8-2609, with a preliminary flux density of 2.4 ± 0.2 mJy/beam, with an rms noise of ~25uJy.
Based on the MAXI/GSC data and assuming a distance of 4.9 kpc (Natalucci et al. 2000, ApJ, 536, 891), we estimate a source X-ray luminosity of
Lx ~ 6e36 erg/s, and a radio luminosity of Lr ~ 3e29 erg/s at 5 GHz, assuming a flat spectrum.
We will start a weekly monitoring of SAX J1810.8-2609 with MeerKAT and The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Multi-wavelength observations are encouraged.
ThunderKAT will run for 5 years and targets X-ray binaries, cataclysmic variables, supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. As part of this programme we perform weekly monitoring observations of all bright, active, southern hemisphere X-ray binaries in the radio band. For further information on this programme please contact Rob Fender and/or Patrick Woudt.
We thank the staff at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) for scheduling and carrying out these observations. The MeerKAT telescope is operated by the SARAO, which is a facility of the National Research Foundation, an agency of the Department of Science and Innovation.
