Papers

Peer-reviewed
May, 2009

SUZAKU DETECTION OF SUPERHARD X-RAY EMISSION FROM THE CLASSICAL NOVA V2491 CYGNI

ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS
  • D. Takei
  • ,
  • M. Tsujimoto
  • ,
  • S. Kitamoto
  • ,
  • J. -U. Ness
  • ,
  • J. J. Drake
  • ,
  • H. Takahashi
  • ,
  • K. Mukai

Volume
697
Number
1
First page
L54
Last page
L57
Language
English
Publishing type
Research paper (scientific journal)
DOI
10.1088/0004-637X/697/1/L54
Publisher
IOP PUBLISHING LTD

We report the detection of superhard (> 10 keV) X-ray emission extending up to 70 keV from the classical nova V2491 Cygni using the Suzaku observatory. We conducted two similar to 20 ks target-of-opportunity observations 9 and 29 days after the outburst on 2008 April 11, yielding wide energy range spectra by combining the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer and the Hard X-ray Detector. On day 9, a spectrum was obtained at 1.0-70 keV with the Fe xxv K alpha line feature and a very flat continuum, which is explained by thermal plasma with a 3 keV temperature and power-law emission with a photon index of 0.1 attenuated by a heavy extinction of 1.4 x 10(23) cm(-2). The 15-70 keV luminosity at 10.5 kpc is 6 x 10(35) erg s(-1). The superhard emission was not present on day 29. This is the highest energy at which X-rays have been detected from a classical nova. We argue a nonthermal origin for the emission, which suggests the presence of accelerated charged particles in the nova explosion.

Link information
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/697/1/L54
Web of Science
https://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=JSTA_CEL&SrcApp=J_Gate_JST&DestLinkType=FullRecord&KeyUT=WOS:000265659400012&DestApp=WOS_CPL
ID information
  • DOI : 10.1088/0004-637X/697/1/L54
  • Web of Science ID : WOS:000265659400012

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