SALT observation of X-ray pulse reprocessing in 4U 1626-67

TL;DR

This study investigates optical reprocessing of X-ray signals in the pulsar 4U 1626-67 using SALT and X-ray observations, revealing new QPO signatures, pulse behaviors, and variability patterns during its spin-up phase.

Contribution

It presents the first detection of optical QPOs in 4U 1626-67 during spin-up, along with detailed timing analysis of pulse drift and variability, advancing understanding of reprocessing mechanisms.

Findings

Detection of a 48 mHz optical QPO without X-ray counterpart.

Observation of pulse peak drifting and short-term variability.

Identification of potential causes for pulse drift, including disk warp or intrinsic phase changes.

Abstract

We investigate optical reprocessing of X-rays in the LMXB pulsar 4U 1626-67 in its current spin-up phase using observations with Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), near-simultaneous observations with Swift-XRT and non-simultaneous RXTE-PCA observations and present the results of timing analysis. Using SALT observations carried out on 5th and 6th March, 2014, we detect some interesting reprocessing signatures. We detect a weak optical Quasi Periodic Oscillation (QPO) in the power density spectrum on March 5th at 48 mHz with a fractional rms of 3.3% in spite of the fact that source shows no corresponding X-ray QPO in the spin-up phase. In the light curve obtained on March 5th, we detect a coherent pulsation at the spin period of ~7.677 s. A previously known, slightly down-shifted side-band is also detected at 129.92 mHz. The frequency spacing between main pulse and this side-band is different from earlier observations, though the statistical significance of the difference is limited. The light curve of 6th March displays short time-scale variability in the form of flares on timescales of a few minutes. Folded pulse profiles resulting from data of this night show an interesting trend of pulse peak drifting. This drift could be due to i) rapid changes in the reprocessing agent, like orbital motion of an accretion disk warp around the neutron star or ii) intrinsic pulse phase changes in X-rays. We also examine some X-ray light curves obtained with RXTE-PCA during 2008-2010 for pulse shape changes in short time scales during X-ray flares.