New fast X-ray transient IGR J18462-0223 discovered by the INTEGRAL observatory

TL;DR

A new fast X-ray transient source, IGR J18462-0223, was discovered by INTEGRAL during a brief outburst, with archival data revealing an earlier event, contributing to understanding of fast X-ray transients and their optical counterparts.

Contribution

This paper reports the discovery and analysis of a new fast X-ray transient, including localization, spectral, and timing data, expanding knowledge of this class of sources.

Findings

Detected a new transient during a short outburst.

Archival data revealed an earlier outburst in 2006.

Source may be part of a growing class of fast X-ray transients.

Abstract

Details of the discovery of a new X-ray source, IGR J18462-0223, on October 12, 2007, during a short (several hours), intense (~ 35 mCrab at the peak) outburst of hard radiation by the IBIS/ISGRI gamma-ray telescope onboard the INTEGRAL observatory are given. The detection of another earlier outburst from this source occurred on April 28, 2006, in the archival data of the telescope is reported. We present the results of the source's localization and our spectral/timing analysis of the observational data. The source may turn out to be yet another representative of the continuously growing population of fast X-ray transients, which are the focus of attention because of the identification of their optical counterparts with early-type supergiants.