The 2006 Outburst of the Magnetar CXOU J164710.2-455216

TL;DR

This study analyzes multi-mission X-ray data of the 2006 outburst of magnetar CXOU J164710.2-455216, finding no evidence for previously reported glitches or spectral relaxation, and providing updated timing and magnetic field estimates.

Contribution

It offers the first comprehensive timing and spectral analysis of this outburst using multiple observatories, challenging prior claims of glitches and spectral changes.

Findings

No evidence for large glitch or rapid decay during outburst

Upper limit on fractional frequency increase: < 1.5 x 10^{-5}

Magnetic field estimate of ~9 x 10^{13} G

Abstract

We report on data obtained with the Chandra, XMM-Newton, Suzaku and Swift X-ray observatories, following the 2006 outburst of the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar CXO J164710.2-455216. We find no evidence for the very large glitch and rapid exponential decay as was reported previously for this source. We set a 3 sigma upper limit on any fractional frequency increase at the time of the outburst of Delta nu/nu < 1.5 x 10^{-5}. Our timing analysis, based on the longest time baseline yet, yields a spin-down rate for the pulsar that implies a surface dipolar magnetic field of ~9 x 10^{13} G, although this could be biased high by possible recovery from an undetected glitch. We also present an analysis of the source flux and spectral evolution, and find no evidence for long-term spectral relaxation post-outburst as was previously reported.