1. Soft gamma repeaters outside the Local group
S.B. Popov
(Sternberg Astronomical Institute)
Co-author:
B.E. Stern
(astro-ph/ ; astro-ph/ ; MNRAS (in press))

2. Plan of the talk Introduction: magnetars (Woods, Thompson 2004)
Search for extragalactic magnetars
(astro-ph/ ; astro-ph/ )
Origin of magnetars
(together with M.E. Prokhorov astro-ph/ )

3. Introduction: magnetars
Magnetars are neutron stars
powered by their magnetic fields
(i.e. not by rotation, thermal evolution, etc.)
Usually they have high magnetic fields.
There are two main types of magnetars:
Soft gamma repeaters (SGRs) and
Anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs).

4. Magnetic field measurements
Large fields:
1014 – 1015 G
Direct measurement of the magnetic field of the SGR
Spin-down
Long periods
Ibrahim et al. 2002

5. Alternative theory Fossil disk Mereghetti, Stella 1995
Van Paradijs et al.1995
Alpar 2001
Marsden et al. 2001
Problems …..
How to generate strong bursts?
(recent result by Zhongxiang Wang et al.
indicates presence of passive discs)

6. Magnetars in the Galaxy
• 4 SGRs, 8 AXPs, plus candidates, plus radio pulsars with high magnetic fields …
• Young objects (about 104 yrs).
• Probably about 10% of all NSs.
Note a recent discovery
by McLaughlin,
Lyne et al.
(submited to Nature)

7. Historical notes 05 March 1979. Cone experiment.
Venera-11,12 (Mazets et al.)
Event in LMC. SGR
Fluence: about 10-3 erg/cm2
Mazets et al. 1979

8. SGRs: periods and giant flares
P, sec
Giant flare
+candidates
8.0
5 March 1979
6.4
18 June 1998
(?)
7.5
27 Dec 2004
5.2
27 Aug 1998
See a review in
Woods, Thompson
astro-ph/

9. Main types of activity of SGRs
Weak burst. L<1041 erg/s
Intermediate bursts. L=1041–1043 erg/s
Giant bursts. L<1045 erg/s
Hyperflares. L>1046 erg/s
See a review in
Woods, Thompson
astro-ph/

10. Common (weak) bursts from SGRs and AXPs
Typical burst from SGR , SGR and from AXP 1E observed by RXTE (from Woods, Thompson, 2004, astro-ph/ )
from Woods, Thompson 2004

11. Intermediate SGR bursts
Four intermediate bursts. However, the forth is sometimes considered as a giant one
from Woods, Thompson 2004

12. Giant flare from SGR 1900+14 (27 Aug 1998)
Data from Ulysses (figure from Hurley et al. 1999a)
Spike 0.35 sec
P=5.16 sec
L> erg/s
ETOTAL>1044 erg
Influenced the Earth ionosphere
Hurley et al. 1999

13. 27 Dec 2004 giant outburst of SGR 1806-20
Spike 0.2 sec
Fluence 1 erg/cm2
E(spike) erg
L(spike) erg/s
Long tail (400 s)
P=7.65 s
E(tail) erg
Distance 15 kpc

14. The greatest flare of a Soft Gamma Repeater
On December the greatest flare from SGR was detected by many satellites: Swift, RHESSI, Konus-Wind, Coronas-F, Integral, HEND, …
100 times brighter than ever!
Palmer et al.
astro-ph/

15. Konus-Wind data on SGR 1806-20 27 Dec 2004 flare
Mazets et al. 2005

16. Medusa

17. AXP: anomalous X-ray pulsars
These sources were recognized as a
separate class in 1995
They are characterized by:
Continuous spin down
Period about 5-10 sec
Small and stable X-ray luminosities
about 1035 erg/s
Soft spectra
Absence of secondary companions
Recently bursts (similar to weak bursts of SGRs)
were discovered.

18. Known AXPs and candidates
Name Period, s
CXO
8.0 4U
8.7 1E
6.4
1RXS J
11.0
XTE J
5.5 1E
11.8
AX J
7.0 1E

19. Are SGRs and AXPs relatives?
SGR-like bursts from AXPs
Spectral properties
Quiet periods of SGRs ( since 1983)
Gavriil et al. 2002

20. I. Extragalactic SGRs: abstract
We propose that the best sites to search for SGRs outside the Local group are galaxies with active massive star formation.
We searched for giant flares from near-by star forming galaxies (M82, M83, NGC 253, NGC 4945), from the Virgo cluster and from “supernova factories” (Arp 299 and NGC 3256) in the BATSE catalogue. No good candidates are found.
We discuss this result.

21. SGR flares vs. GRBs
Woods et al.

22. SGRs and starformation
Possibility of a SGR detection outside the Local group of galaxies
Star forming galaxies are the best sites to search for extragalactic SGRs
<5 Mpc. M82, M83, NGC 253, NGC 4945
About 40 Mpc. Arp 299, NGC 3256
Possible candidates in the BATSE catalogue of short GRBs

23. Assumed time profiles of the initial spike of the 05 March 1979 event

24. The probability of detection by BATSE of a giant flare

25. BATSE GRBs associated with near-by starbursts

26. The probability of detection by BATSE of a hyperflare

27. BATSE GRBs associated with “supernova factories”

28. Virgo cluster analysis
We also searched for GFs and HFs from
the Virgo cluster direction in BATSE data.
Nothing was found (see astro-ph/ ).
Renormalizing this result to our Galaxy
we obtain that HFs (> erg in spike)
should be as rare as one in 1000 years.
This estimate is in correspondence with
results obtained by other authors
(Palmer et al. 2005, Ghirlanda et al. 2005).

29. Evolution of SGR activity
Usually the rate of GFs is assumed to be constant.
However, all types of activity of NSs normally decay with time
For example, the rate of starquakes is expected to evolve as t5/2
If the rate of GFs evolves proportionally to time or faster then:
The probability to detect a SGR is higher for younger objects
We can face “an energy crisis”, i.e. there is not enough energy
to support strong burst in SGRs youth.
All these items can be important in estimation of the
probability of detection of extragalactic SGRs.

30. Conclusions. I. Close galaxies with enhanced star formation
rate are the best sites to search for extragalactic SGRs
Our search in the BATSE catalogue did not provide good candidates
Reasons for the non-detection
- overestimates of the peak flux
- uncertainties in spectrum
- naïve scaling of the SGRs number is not valid
- ??????

31. THAT’S ALL. THANK YOU!

32. II. Origin of magnetars: abstract
• We present population synthesis calculations of binary systems.
• Our goal is to estimate the number of neutron stars originated
from progenitors with enhanced rotation, as such compact
objects can be expected to have large magnetic fields,
i.e. they can be magnetars.
• The fraction of such neutron stars in our calculations
is about 8-14 %.
• Most of these objects are isolated due to coalescences
of components prior to a neutron star formation,
or due to a system disruption after a supernova explosion.
• The fraction of such neutron stars in survived binaries is about
1% or lower, i.e. magnetars are expected to be isolated objects.
Their most numerous companions are black holes.

33. A question: Why do all magnetars are isolated?
• % of NSs are expected to be binary (for moderate and small kicks)
• All known magnetars (or candidates) are single objects.
• At the moment from the statistical point of view it is not a miracle, however, it’s time to ask this question.
Two possible explanations
• Large kick velocities
• Particular evolutionary path

34. Theory of magnetars Thompson, Duncan ApJ 408, 194 (1993)
Entropy-driven convection in young NSs generate strong magnetic field
Twist of magnetic field lines

35. Magnetars origin • Fast rotation is necessary (Thompson, Duncan)
• Probably, magnetars are isolated due to their origin
• Fast rotation is necessary (Thompson, Duncan)
• Two possibilities to spin-up during evolution in a binary
1) Spin-up of a progenitor star in a binary via accretion or synchronization
2) Coalescence

36. The code We use the “Scenario Machine” code.
Developed in SAI (Moscow) since 1983
by Lipunov, Postnov, Prokhorov et al.
( )
We run the population synthesis of binaries to estimate the fraction of NS progenitors with enhanced rotation.

37. The model
Among all possible evolutionary paths that result in formation of NSs we select those that lead to angular momentum increase of progenitors.
• Coalescence prior to a NS formation.
• Roche lobe overflow by a primary without a common envelope.
• Roche lobe overflow by a primary with a common envelope.
• Roche lobe overflow by a secondary without a common envelope.
• Roche lobe overflow by a secondary with a common envelope.

38. Parameters
We run the code for two values of the parameter αq which characterizes the mass ratio distribution of components, f(q), where q is the mass ratio.
At first, the mass of a primary is taken from the Salpeter distribution, and then the q distribution is applied f(q)~q αq , q=M2/M1<1
We use αq=0 (flat distribution, i.e. all variants of mass ratio are equally probable) and αq=2 (close masses are more probable, so numbers of NS and BH progenitors are increased in comparison with αq=0).

39. Results of calculations-1

40. Results of calculations-2
Most of “magnetars” appear after coalescences or
from secondary companions after RLO by primaries.
They are mostly isolated.

41. Conclusions.II.
• We made population synthesis of binary systems to derive the relative number of NSs originated from progenitors with enhanced rotation -``magnetars''.
• With an inclusion of single stars (with the total number equal to the total number of binaries) the fraction of ``magnetars'‘ is ~8-14%.
• Most of these NSs are isolated due to coalescences of components prior to NS formation, or due to a system disruption after a SN explosion.
• The fraction of ``magnetars'' in survived binaries is about 1% or lower.
• The most numerous companions of ``magnetars'' are BHs.

42. THAT’S ALL. THANK YOU! (again)

43. Discovery of radio transients by Lyne et al.
Lyne et al. reported transient dim radio sources with possible periods
about seconds in the galactic plane discovered in the Parkes survey
(talk by A. Lyne in Amsterdam, august 2005; subm. to Nature).
These radio transients can be relatives of the
Magnificent seven
However, it is not clear
if they are young or old.
They can be propellers…
Shall we expect also similar objects from the Belt????
YES!!! And they even have to be brighter (as they are closer).
The problem – low dispersion.
It is important to monitor the Magnificent Seven to find
transient radio activity.
Malofeev et al already reported detection of one of the M7.
It can be connected with symmetric X-ray curve:
two nearly identical pulses during the period.
(back)

44. P-Pdot for new transient sources
Lyne et al. 2005
Submitted to Nature
(I’m thankful to
Prof. Lyne for giving
me an opportunity
to have a picture
in advance)
Estimates show that
there should be about
sources of this type
in the Galaxy
(back)

45. Magnificent Seven Name Period, s RX 1856 - RX 0720 8.39 RBS 1223 10.31
11.37
RX 0420
3.45
RBS 1774
9.44
Radioquiet (?)
Close-by
Thermal emission
Long periods
(back)

46. Radio detection Malofeev et al. (2005) reported detection of
1RXS J (RBS 1223)
in the low-frequency band ( MHz)
with the radio telescope in Pushchino.
(back)

47. Other ideas about relations between SGR and SF galaxies
Eichler (2005) discussed a possible connection
between SGRs and high energy cosmic rays.
In this sense it is interesting to remember that
several groups (for example, Giller et al.)
reported the discovery of associations
between UHECR and star forming galaxies.
In particular, Giller et al. discussed Arp 299
and NGC 3256.