NuSTAR and NICER reveal IGR J17591–2342 as a new accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar

• Published in: Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin) Vol. 617; p. L8
• Main Authors: Sanna, A., Ferrigno, C., Ray, P. S., Ducci, L., Jaisawal, G. K., Enoto, T., Bozzo, E., Altamirano, D., Di Salvo, T., Strohmayer, T. E., Papitto, A., Riggio, A., Burderi, L., Bult, P. M., Bogdanov, S., Gambino, A. F., Marino, A., Iaria, R., Arzoumanian, Z., Chakrabarty, D., Gendreau, K. C., Guillot, S., Markwardt, C., Wolff, M. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg EDP Sciences 01.09.2018
• Subjects: accretion; accretion disks; Astrophysics; Deposition; Physics; Pulsars; pulsars: general; stars: low-mass; stars: neutron; X-rays: binaries; accretion; stars: low-mass; X-rays: binaries; pulsars: general; accretion disks; stars: neutron
• ISSN: 0004-6361; 1432-0746; 1432-0756
• DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201834160

We report the discovery by the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) of the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar IGR J17591–2342. Coherent X-ray pulsations around 527.4 Hz (1.9 ms) with a clear Doppler modulation were detected. This implies an orbital period of ∼8.8 h and a projected semi-major axis of ∼1.23 lt-s. With the binary mass function, we estimate a minimum companion mass of 0.42 M⊙, obtained assuming a neutron star mass of 1.4 M⊙ and an inclination angle lower than 60°, as suggested by the absence of eclipses or dips in the light curve of the source. The broad-band energy spectrum, obtained by combining NuSTAR, swift and INTEGRAL observations, is dominated by Comptonisation of soft thermal seed photons with a temperature of ∼0.7 keV by electrons heated to 21 keV. We also detect black-body-like thermal direct emission that is compatible with an emission region of a few kilometers and a temperature compatible with the seed source of Comptonisation. A weak Gaussian line centred on the iron Kα complex can be interpreted as a signature of disc reflection. A similar spectrum characterises the NICER spectra, which was measured when the outburst faded.