No Arabic abstract
The third INTEGRAL/IBIS survey has revealed several new hard X-ray sources, which are still unclassified. To identify these sources, we need to find their counterparts at other wavelengths and then study their nature. The capability of XRT on board Swift to localize the sources with a positional accuracy of few arcseconds allows the search for optical/UV, infrared and radio counterparts to be more efficient and reliable. We analysed all XRT observations available for three unidentified INTEGRAL sources, IGR J18249-3243, IGR J19443+2117 and IGR J22292+6647, localized their soft X-ray counterparts and searched for associations with objects in the radio band. We also combined X-/gamma-ray data, as well as all the available radio, infrared and optical/UV information, in order to provide a broad-band spectral characterization of each source and investigate its nature. All three sources are found to be bright and repeatedly observed radio objects, although poorly studied. The X-/gamma-ray spectrum of each source is well described by power laws with photon indices typical of AGN; only IGR J19443+2117 may have absorption in excess of the Galactic value, while IGR J22292+6647 is certainly variable at X-ray energies. IGR J18249-3243 has a complex radio morphology and a steep radio spectrum; the other two sources show flatter radio spectra and a more compact morphology. Overall, their radio, optical/UV and infrared characteristics, as well as their X-/gamma-ray properties, point to an AGN classification for all three objects.
We present a multiwavelength study of the environment of the unidentified X-ray/gamma-ray sources IGR J18027-1455 and IGR J21247+5058, recently discovered by the IBIS/ISGRI instrument, onboard the INTEGRAL satellite. The main properties of the sources found inside their position error circles, give us clues about the nature of these high-energy sources.
Context. One of the most striking discoveries of the INTEGRAL observatory is the existence of a previously unknown population of X-ray sources in the inner arms of the Galaxy. The investigations of the optical/NIR counterparts of some of them have provided evidence that they are highly absorbed high mass X-ray binaries hosting supergiants. Aims. We aim to identify the optical/NIR counterpart of one of the newly discovered INTEGRAL sources, IGR J16283-4838, and determine the nature of this system. Methods. We present optical and NIR observations of the field of IGR J16283-4838, and use the astrometry and photometry of the sources within it to identify its counterpart. We obtain its NIR spectrum, and its optical/NIR spectral energy distribution by means of broadband photometry. We search for the intrinsic polarization of its light, and its short and long-term photometric variability. Results. We demonstrate that this source is a highly absorbed HMXB located beyond the Galactic center, and that it may be surrounded by a variable circumstellar medium.
We report on the discovery of two Fast X-ray Transients (FXTs) from analysis of archival INTEGRAL data. Both are characterized by a remarkable hard X-ray activity above 20 keV, in term of duration (about 15 and 30 minutes, respectively), peak-flux (about 10^-9 erg cm^-2 s^-1) and dynamic range (about 2400 and 1360, respectively). Swift/XRT follow-up observations failed to detect any quiescent or low level soft X-ray emission from either of the two FXTs, providing an upper limit of the order of a few times 10^-12 erg cm^-2 s^-1. The main spectral and temporal IBIS/ISGRI characteristics are presented and discussed with the aim of infering possible hints on their nature.
IGR J19140+098 (SIMBAD corrected name IGR J19140+0951) is a new X-ray transient, discovered by INTEGRAL during an observation of GRS 1915+015. The source presents strong variations on timescales from seconds to days. We present results of multiwavelength observations, including spectral analysis of INTEGRAL observations, and propose that IGR J19140+098 is a Galactic X-ray binary. Further classification of the source is also discussed.
Of the 21 new sources that INTEGRAL discovered up to Feb. 1, 2004, five were detected with the BeppoSAX Wide Field Cameras at earlier times. IGR J16320-4751 appears to be a persistently active X-ray source which hints at a supergiant Roche-lobe overflowing companion star in this proposed high-mass X-ray binary. IGR J17091-3624 is a transient source that was detected in 1996 and 2001 with a maximum flux of 20 mCrab (2-28 keV). It is either a Be X-ray binary or a low mass X-ray binary transient. IGR J18483-0311 may be a high-mass X-ray binary, because it is located in a region rich of such objects, just like IGR J19140+098. IGR J17544-2619 appears to be a frequently active X-ray source whose hours-long flares, of which WFC detected five, are reminiscent of the stellar black hole source V4641 Sgr. We discuss this source in detail.