SRG/ART-XC detection of a possible new giant outburst of RX J0520.5-6932
ATel #16562; A. N. Semena, I. A. Mereminskiy, A. A. Lutovinov, S. V. Molkov, A. Yu. Tkachenko, V. A. Arefiev (IKI RAS, Moscow)
on 31 Mar 2024; 16:03 UT
Credential Certification: Sergei Molkov (molkov@hea.iki.rssi.ru)
Subjects: X-ray, Binary, Neutron Star, Transient, Pulsar
During the on-going all-sky survey the Mikhail Pavlinsky ART-XC telescope on board the SRG observatory detected the known Be X-ray binary RX J0520.5-6932, located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, with the flux of 2.9(+0.1/-0.2)x10^-10 erg/cm2/s in the 4-12 keV energy band. The source stays on this flux level for the last three days (March 29-31, 2024) since its first passage through the telescope field of view.
Given the distance to the LMC it is evident that RX J0520.5-6932 now has an X-ray luminosity close to 10^38 erg/s and, therefore, is likely undergoing a giant outburst. Previously such an event happened in 2014.
ART-XC will continue to monitor this source in the next couple of days.
ART-XC is the X-ray telescope on board the SRG observatory which was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome on 13 July 2019 by the Proton rocket. ART-XC has been renamed 'Mikhail Pavlinsky ART-XC telescope' in honor of its first PI, Dr. Mikhail Pavlinsky.
