New Methods for Timing Analysis of Transient Events, Applied to Fermi/GBM Magnetar Bursts

TL;DR

This paper introduces new timing analysis methods for transient gamma-ray events, successfully applied to magnetar bursts observed with Fermi/GBM, revealing their broadband variability and searching for quasi-periodicities.

Contribution

The paper develops and demonstrates novel timing techniques tailored for transient events, enabling the study of magnetar burst variability and quasi-periodicities.

Findings

Successful application of new timing methods to Fermi/GBM magnetar bursts

First characterization of broadband variability in magnetar bursts

Upper limits set for quasi-periodic oscillation detections

Abstract

In order to discern the physical nature of many gamma-ray sources in the sky, we must look not only in spectral and spatial dimensions, but also understand their temporal variability. However, timing analysis of sources with a highly transient nature, such as magnetar bursts, is difficult: standard Fourier techniques developed for long-term variability generally observed, for example, from AGN often do not apply. Here, we present newly developed timing methods applicable to transient events of all kinds, and show their successful application to magnetar bursts observed with Fermi/GBM. Magnetars are a prime subject for timing studies, thanks to the detection of quasi-periodicities in magnetar Giant Flares and their potential to help shed light on the structure of neutron stars. Using state-of-the art statistical techniques, we search for quasi-periodicities (QPOs) in a sample of bursts from Soft Gamma Repeater SGR J0501+4516 observed with Fermi/GBM and provide upper limits for potential QPO detections. Additionally, for the first time, we characterise the broadband variability behaviour of magnetar bursts and highlight how this new information could provide us with another way to probe these mysterious objects.