The magnetar 4U~0142+61 has been well studied at optical and infrared wavelengths and is known to have a complicated broad-band spectrum over the wavelength range. Here we report the result from our linear imaging polarimetry of the magnetar at optic
al $I$-band. From the polarimetric observation carried out with the 8.2-m Subaru telescope, we determine the degree of linear polarization $P=1.0pm$3.4%, or $Pleq$5.6% (90% confidence level). Considering models suggested for optical emission from magnetars, we discuss the implications of our result. The upper limit measurement indicates that different from radio pulsars, magnetars probably would not have strongly polarized optical emission if the emission arises from their magnetosphere as suggested.
We report on our searches for debris disks around seven relatively nearby radio pulsars, which are isolated sources and were carefully selected as the targets on the basis of our deep $K_s$-band imaging survey. The $K_s$ images obtained with the 6.5,
m Baade Magellan Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory are analyzed together with the textit{Spitzer}/IRAC images at 4.5 and 8.0~$mu$m and the textit{WISE} images at 3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22~$mu$m. No infrared (IR) counterparts of these pulsars are found, with flux upper limits of $sim mu$Jy at near-infrared ($lambda<10 mu$m) and $sim$10--1000,$mu$Jy at mid-infrared wavelengths ($lambda>10 mu$m). The results of this search are discussed in terms of the efficiency of converting the pulsar spin-down energy to thermal energy and X-ray heating of debris disks, with comparison made to the two magnetars 4U~0142+61 and 1E~2259+586 which are suggested to harbor a debris disk.
In the WISE all-sky source catalogue there are 76 million mid-infrared (MIR) point sources that were detected at the first three WISE bands and have association with only one 2MASS near-IR source within 3 arcsec. We search for their identifications i
n the SIMBAD database and find 3.2 million identified sources. Based on these known sources, we establish three criteria for selecting candidate AGB stars in the Galaxy, which are three defined occupation zones in a color-color diagram, Galactic latitude |gb|< 20 deg, and corrected WISE third-band W3c < 11. Applying these criteria to the WISE+2MASS sources, 1.37 million of them are selected. We analyze the WISE third-band W3 distribution of the selected sources, and further establish that W3 < 8 is required in order to exclude a large fraction of normal stars in them. We therefore find 0.47 million candidate AGB stars in our Galaxy from the WISE source catalogue. Using W3c, we estimate their distances and derive their Galactic distributions. The candidates are generally located around the Galactic center uniformly, with 68% (1-sigma) of them within approximately 8 kpc. We discuss that optical spectroscopy can be used to verify the C-rich AGB stars in our candidates, and they will be good targets for the LAMOST survey that is planned to start from fall of 2012.
The X-ray source 4U1820-30 in the globular cluster NGC 6624 is known as the most compact binary among the identified X-ray binaries. Having an orbital period of 685.0 s, the source consists of a neutron star primary and likely 0.06--0.08 Msun white d
warf secondary. Here we report on far-ultraviolet (FUV) observations of this X-ray binary, made with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. From our Fourier spectral analysis of the FUV timing data, we obtain a period of 693.5+/-1.3 s, which is significantly different from the orbital period. The light curve folded at this period can be described by a sinusoid, with a fractional semiamplitude of 6.3% and the phase zero (maximum of the sinusoid) at MJD 50886.015384+/-0.000043 (TDB). While the discovered FUV period may be consistent with a hierarchical triple system model that was previously considered for 4U 1820-30, we suggest that it could instead be the indication of superhump modulation, which arises from an eccentric accretion disk in the binary. The X-ray and FUV periods would be the orbital and superhump periods, respectively, indicating a 1% superhump excess and a white-dwarf/neutron-star mass ratio around 0.06. Considering 4U 1820-30 as a superhump source, we discuss the implications.
We report on optical imaging of the X-ray binary SAX J1808.4-3658 with the 8-m Gemini South Telescope. The binary, containing an accretion-powered millisecond pulsar, appears to have a large periodic modulation in its quiescent optical emission. In o
rder to clarify the origin of this modulation, we obtained three time-resolved $r$-band light curves (LCs) of the source in five days. The LCs can be described by a sinusoid, and the long time-span between them allows us to determine optical period P=7251.9 s and phase 0.671 at MJD 54599.0 (TDB; phase 0.0 corresponds to the ascending node of the pulsar orbit), with uncertainties of 2.8 s and 0.008 (90 % confidence), respectively. This periodicity is highly consistent with the X-ray orbital ephemeris. By considering this consistency and the sinusoidal shape of the LCs, we rule out the possibility of the modulation arising from the accretion disk. Our study supports the previous suggestion that the X-ray pulsar becomes rotationally powered in quiescence, with its energy output irradiating the companion star, causing the optical modulation. While it has also been suggested that the accretion disk would be evaporated by the pulsar, we argue that the disk exists and gives rise to the persistent optical emission. The existence of the disk can be verified by long-term, multi-wavelength optical monitoring of the source in quiescence, as an increasing flux and spectral changes from the source would be expected based on the standard disk instability model.
We report on optical and infrared observations of the anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) 1E 1048.1-5937, made during its ongoing X-ray flare which started in 2007 March. We detected the source in the optical I and near-infrared Ks bands in two ground-based
observations and obtained deep flux upper limits from four observations, including one with the Spitzer Space Telescope at 4.5 and 8.0 microns. The detections indicate that the source was approximately 1.3--1.6 magnitudes brighter than in 2003--2006, when it was at the tail of a previous similar X-ray flare. Similar related flux variations have been seen in two other AXPs during their X-ray outbursts, suggesting common behavior for large X-ray flux variation events in AXPs. The Spitzer flux 1E 1048.1-5937 limits are sufficiently deep that we can exclude mid-infrared emission similar to that from the AXP 4U 0142+61, which has been interpreted as arising from a dust disk around the AXP. The optical/near-infrared emission from probably has a magnetospheric origin. The similarity in the flux spectra of 4U 0142+61 and 1E 1048.1-5937 challenges the dust disk model proposed for the latter.
We report on our Spitzer observations of the anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142+61, made following a large X-ray burst that occurred on 2007 February 7. To search for mid-infrared flux variations, four imaging observations were carried out at 4.5 and 8.0
$mu$m with the Infrared Array Camera from February 14 to 21. No significant flux variations were detected, and the average fluxes were 32.1$pm$2.0 $mu$Jy at 4.5 $mu$m and 59.8$pm8.5$ $mu$Jy at 8.0 $mu$m, consistent with those obtained in 2005. The non-detection of variability is interesting in light of reported rapid variability from this source in the near-infrared, but consistent with the fact that the source already went back to its quiescent state before our observations began, as indicated by contemporaneous X-ray observations. In order to understand the origin of the near-infrared variability, frequent, simultaneous multi-wavelength observations are needed.
