Title:	Discovery of a short orbital period in the supergiant fast X-ray transient IGR J16479-4514
Authors:	Jain, Chetana Paul, Biswajit Dutta, Anjan
Issue Date:	Jul-2007
Publisher:	Wiley Interscience for the RAS
Citation:	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2009, Vol.397, pL11
Abstract:	We report here the discovery of a 3.32 d orbital period in the Supergiant Fast X-ray Transient (SFXT) source IGR J16479−4514. Using the long-term light curve of this source obtained with Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) in the energy range of 15–50 keV, we have clearly detected an orbital modulation including a full eclipse of duration ∼0.6 d. In the hard X-ray band of the BAT instrument, the eclipse ingress and egress are rapid. We have also used the long-term light curve obtained with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) All Sky Monitor (ASM) in the energy range of 1.5–12 keV. Taken independently, the detection of orbital modulation in the RXTE–ASM light curve is not significant. However, considering a clear detection of orbital modulation in the BAT light curve, we have used the ASM light curve for a more precise determination of the orbital period. IGR J16479−4514 has the shortest orbital period among the three SFXTs with measured/known orbital period. We discuss the implication of a short orbital period with the various mechanisms proposed to explain the transient nature of this class of sources.
Description:	Restricted Access. An open-access version is available at arXiv.org (one of the alternative locations)
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/2289/3811
ISSN:	0035-8711 1365-2966 (Online)
Alternative Location:	http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2009MNRAS.397L..11J http://arxiv.org/abs/0903.5403 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3933.2009.00668.x
Copyright:	2009 Wiley Interscience for the RAS
Appears in Collections:	Research Papers (A&A)

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