MAXI/GSC detection of a new X-ray outburst from XTE J1701-462

ATel #15592; W. Iwakiri (Chuo U.), M. Serino (AGU), H. Negoro, M. Nakajima, K. Kobayashi, M. Tanaka, Y. Soejima (Nihon U.), T. Mihara, T. Kawamuro, S. Yamada, T. Tamagawa, M. Matsuoka (RIKEN), T. Sakamoto, S. Sugita, H. Hiramatsu, A. Yoshida (AGU), Y. Tsuboi, J. Kohara (Chuo U.), M. Shidatsu, M. Iwasaki (Ehime U.), N. Kawai, M. Niwano, R. Hosokawa, Y. Imai, N. Ito, Y. Takamatsu (Tokyo Tech), S. Nakahira, S. Ueno, H. Tomida, M. Ishikawa, T. Kurihara (JAXA), Y. Ueda, S. Ogawa, K. Setoguchi, T. Yoshitake, K. Inaba (Kyoto U.), M. Yamauchi, T. Sato, R. Hatsuda, R. Fukuoka, Y. Hagiwara, Y. Umeki (Miyazaki U.), K. Yamaoka (Nagoya U.), Y. Kawakubo (LSU), M. Sugizaki (NAOC)
on 6 Sep 2022; 15:01 UT
Credential Certification: Wataru Iwakiri (wataru.iwakiri@riken.jp)

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The MAXI/GSC nova alert system triggered on X-ray enhancement at 06:18 on Sept 06, 2022.
Assuming that the source flux was constant over 12 transits from 08:38 on Sept 05 to 06:18 on Sept 06, we obtain the source position at (R.A., Dec) = (255.261 deg, -46.212 deg) = (17 01 02, -46 12 42) (J2000) with a 90% C.L. statistical error of 0.11 deg and an additional systematic uncertainty of 0.1 deg (90% containment radius). The X-ray flux averaged over the scan was 124 +- 8 mCrab (4.0-10.0keV, 1 sigma error).
The estimated source position is consistent with NS-LMXB XTE J1701-462. If it is an outburst from XTE J1701-462, this is a bright outburst since its discovery in 2006 (ATel #696 and see also Homan et al. 2010, ApJ, 719, 201).
We also tentatively name the source MAXI J1701-462 until the source is identified.
Follow-up observations are encouraged.

MAXI data for XTE J1701-462