ASM Observations of IGR J00291+5934
ATel #357; Ron Remillard (for ASM team at MIT and GSFC)
on 6 Dec 2004; 16:59 UT
Credential Certification: Ron Remillard (rr@space.mit.edu)
Subjects: X-ray, Transient, Pulsar
A mission-long light curve (Jan. 1996 - Dec. 2004) has been
constructed for IGR J00291+5934 (Atel #352),using the position of the
optical counterpart (Atel #354). The results quoted below utilize
only the dwells for which the fitted channel-A background has values
less than 12.0 c/s. For the current outburst, the first
ASM detection appears on 2004 Dec. 2, with an average flux of 20(4)
mCrab at 2-12 keV. Then during Dec. 3-6, the average
flux per day (UT) varies between 10(2) and 22(2) mCrab.
There are marginal ASM detections (5 sigma) of similar
outbursts from this source during 1998 Nov. 26-28 (maximum at 21(4) mCrab)
and 2001 Sept. 11-21 (maximum at 18(3) mCrab). If these results
are correct, then this transient appears every three years,
and observers should note that the current outburst may not last much longer.