RXTE Pointed Observations of XTE J1701-462
ATel #703; T. E. Strohmayer, J. H. Swank (NASA/GSFC), E. H. Morgan (MIT), C. B. Markwardt (NASA/GSFC &UMD), N. Shaposhnikov (NASA/GSFC & USRA)
on 21 Jan 2006; 02:02 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Request For Observations
Credential Certification: Jean Swank (swank@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov)
Subjects: X-ray, Request for Observations, Binary, Black Hole, Neutron Star, Transient
The RXTE PCA and HEXTE observed the new transient XTE J1701-462
(Remillard et al, ATEL #696) first on 19 Jan 2006 at 18:00 UT for 3800
seconds. Observations on 20 Jan (Markwardt & Swank, ATEL #700)
included several pointed observations. The fluxes on 19 Jan were
1.7e-8 and 2.8e-9 ergs cm^-2 s^-1 in the 2-10 keV and 10-40 keV bands
respectively. On 20 Jan they rose as high as 1.9e-8 and 3.3e-9,
respectively, decreased to a third of that and started to recover.
It is not obvious what it is. The source does not fit canonical
spectral or timing characteristics for a pulsar, an LMXB, or a black
hole. The simplest approximate descriptions of the spectra use absorbed
bremsstrahlung with kT ~2.5-4 keV, the kT correlated to the luminosity.
The PCA sees a column density of 2-3 x 10^22 cm^-2, depending on the
model. HEXTE detected the source and there may be a power law
extension of the spectra. There is varying rms variability. Power
spectra evolved over the day of observations, with noise present below
0.1 Hz and QPO of a few percent sometimes very significant near 6 and
55 Hz. In the last observation there were flux swings of 30% with
time scales of several minutes.
Additional RXTE observations are planned.
