Simultaneous X-Ray and Infrared Observations of Sagittarius A*'s Variability

February 2019 • 2019ApJ...871..161B

Authors • Boyce, H. • Haggard, D. • Witzel, G. • Willner, S. P. • Neilsen, J. • Hora, J. L. • Markoff, S. • Ponti, G. • Baganoff, F. • Becklin, E. E. • Fazio, G. G. • Lowrance, P. • Morris, M. R. • Smith, H. A.

Abstract • Emission from Sagitarius A* is highly variable at both X-ray and infrared (IR) wavelengths. Observations over the last ∼20 yr have revealed X-ray flares that rise above a quiescent thermal background about once per day, while faint X-ray flares from Sgr A* are undetectable below the constant thermal emission. In contrast, the IR emission of Sgr A* is observed to be continuously variable. Recently, simultaneous observations have indicated a rise in IR flux density around the same time as every distinct X-ray flare, while the opposite is not always true (peaks in the IR emission may not be coincident with an X-ray flare). Characterizing the behavior of these simultaneous X-ray/IR events and measuring any time lag between them can constrain models of Sgr A*'s accretion flow and the flare emission mechanism. Using 100+ hours of data from a coordinated campaign between the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, we present results of the longest simultaneous IR and X-ray observations of Sgr A* taken to date. The cross-correlation between the IR and X-ray light curves in this unprecedented data set, which includes four modest X-ray/IR flares, indicates that flaring in the X-ray may lead the IR by approximately 10-20 min with 68% confidence. However, the 99.7% confidence interval on the time-lag also includes zero, i.e., the flaring remains statistically consistent with simultaneity. Long-duration and simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of additional bright flares will improve our ability to constrain the flare timing characteristics and emission mechanisms, and must be a priority for Galactic Center observing campaigns.

Links

• PREPRINT http://arxiv.org/abs/1812.05764
• ELECTR https://doi.org/10.3847%2F1538-4357%2Faaf71f
• SIMBAD http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbo.pl?bibcode=2019ApJ...871..161B
• PDF https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aaf71f/pdf
• PDF https://stacks.iop.org/0004-637X/871/161/pdf
• DATA https://archive.stsci.edu/mastbibref.php?bibcode=2019ApJ...871..161B
• DATA https://cda.harvard.edu/chaser?obsid=9169,9173,16210,16597,18731,18732,19703,19704
• DATA https://hst.esac.esa.int/ehst/#/pages/search;bibcode=2019ApJ...871..161B
• DATA https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/bibdata/2019/B/2019ApJ...871..161B.html