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abstract |
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1E 161348-5055 (1E 161348), the source at the center of the supernova remnant RCW103, has defied any easy classification since its discovery. Because of its puzzling behavior (a long periodicity of 6.67 hr and a strong variability) it is challenging to interpret it within the standard neutron-star scenarios. On June 2016, 1E 161348 emitted a magnetar-like millisecond burst of hard X-rays accompanied with a factor ~ 100 brightening in the persistent soft X-ray emission. This recent episode suggests that 1E 161348 is an isolated magnetar with an incredibly slow spin period. We ask for a new 70 ks observation with NuSTAR to characterize the nature and phenomenology of this unique source while it recovers from its recent outburst. |
ith its excellent hard X-ray sensitivity, spectral resolution, and timing, NuSTAR has revolutionized our view of black hole accretion, particularly through studies of Compton scattering and relativistic reflection. But we still have yet to attain a fully self-consistent model of the accretion flow, in part because of the difficulty of constraining seed photons: thermal emission from cool, faint disks. With the launch of NICER in June 2017, we took a great step forward. NICER is to soft X-rays what NuSTAR is to hard X-rays, and together they can produce incredibly tight constraints on the geometry of the inner disk, corona, and their interactions. We propose 5x20 ks coordinated observations of a black hole transient with NuSTAR and NICER to exploit these groundbreaking capabilities. |
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