CXO_J164710.2-455216

CXOU J164710.2−455216

CXOU J164710.2−455216

Anomalous X-ray pulsar in Westerlund 1

CXOU J164710.2−455216 is an anomalous X-ray pulsar and magnetar in the massive galactic open cluster Westerlund 1. It is the brightest X-ray source in the cluster, and was discovered in 2005 in observations made by the Chandra X-ray Observatory.[1][2] The Westerlund 1 cluster is believed to have formed in a single burst of star formation,[3] implying that the progenitor star must have had a mass in excess of 40 solar masses. The fact that a neutron star was formed instead of a black hole implies that more than 95% of the star's original mass must have been lost before or during the supernova that produced the magnetar.[4][5]

Quick Facts Constellation, Right ascension ...

On 21 September 2006 the Swift satellite detected a 20ms soft gamma-ray burst in Westerlund 1. Fortuitously, XMM-Newton observations had been made four days earlier, and repeat observations 1.5 days after the burst revealed the magnetar to be the source of the burst, with the X-ray luminosity increasing by a factor of 100 during the outburst.[6]

References

  1. [1]
    A Neutron Star with a Massive Progenitor in Westerlund 1, Muno et al. (2006)
  2. [2]
    Westerlund 1: Neutron Star Discovered Where a Black Hole Was Expected
  3. [3]
    On the massive stellar population of the super star cluster Westerlund 1, Clark et al. (2005)
  4. [4]
    Magnetar Formation Mystery Solved, eso1415 - Science Release (14 May 2014)
  5. [5]
    Wood, Chris. "Very Large Telescope solves magnetar mystery" GizMag, 14 May 2014. Accessed: 18 May 2014.
  6. [6]
    Exciting the magnetosphere of the magnetar CXOU J164710.2−455216 in Westerlund 1, Muno et al. (2007)
  • Gavriil, F. P.; Woods, P. M.; Kaspi, V. M. (2006). "Chandra Target of Opportunity Observations of CXO J164710.2−455216". The Astronomer's Telegram. 901: 1. Bibcode:2006ATel..901....1G.
  • cxo-j164710.2-455216
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