The two INTEGRAL X-ray transients IGR J17091--3624 and IGR J17098--3628: a multi-wavelength long term campaign

TL;DR

This study presents a comprehensive multi-wavelength analysis of two X-ray transients, IGR J17091-3624 and IGR J17098-3628, revealing their activity patterns, spectral states, and refined positions, contributing to understanding their nature as black hole candidates.

Contribution

The paper provides the first detailed multi-wavelength long-term observational campaign of these transients, including refined positions and radio counterparts, enhancing knowledge of their properties and behaviors.

Findings

IGR J17098-3628 was consistently detected with flux variations.

IGR J17091-3624 was observed in quiescence and during outburst.

A new radio counterpart for IGR J17091-3624 was identified.

Abstract

IGR J17091-3624 and IGR J17098-3628 are two X-ray transients discovered by INTEGRAL and classified as possible black hole candidates (BHCs). We present here the results obtained from the analysis of multi-wavelength data sets collected by different instruments from 2005 until the end of 2007 on both sources. IGR J17098-3628 has been regularly detected by INTEGRAL and RXTE over the entire period of the observational campaign; it was also observed with pointed observations by XMM and Swift/XRT in 2005 and 2006 and exhibited flux variations not linked with the change of any particular spectral features. IGR J17091-3624 was initially in quiescence (after a period of activity between 2003 April and 2004 April) and it was then detected again in outburst in the XRT field of view during a Swift observation of IGR J17098--3628 on 2007 July 9. The observations during quiescence provide an upper limit to the 0.2-10 keV luminosity, while the observations in outburst cover the transition from the hard to the soft state. Moreover, we obtain a refined X-ray position for IGR J17091-3624 from the Swift/XRT observations during the outburst in 2007. The new position is inconsistent with the previously proposed radio counterpart. We identify in VLA archive data a compact radio source consistent with the new X-ray position and propose it as the radio counterpart of the X-ray transient.