The Minimum Variation Timescales of X-ray bursts from SGR J1935+2154

TL;DR

This study analyzes the minimum variation timescales of X-ray bursts from SGR J1935+2154, revealing insights into their emission mechanisms, jet properties, and potential magnetar origins through systematic Bayesian analysis.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive measurement of MVTs for SGR J1935+2154 bursts, linking timescales to emission models and identifying unique features of the associated FRB.

Findings

MVTs peak at ~2 ms, supporting magnetospheric origin.

The XRB associated with FRB 200428 has a longer MVT (~70 ms).

Median MVTs are shorter than those of short and long GRBs.

Abstract

The minimum variation timescale (MVT) of soft gamma-ray repeaters can be an important probe to estimate the emission region in pulsar-like models, as well as the Lorentz factor and radius of the possible relativistic jet in gamma-ray burst (GRB)-like models, thus revealing their progenitors and physical mechanisms. In this work, we systematically study the MVTs of hundreds of X-ray bursts (XRBs) from SGR J1935+2154 observed by {\it Insight}-HXMT, GECAM and Fermi/GBM from July 2014 to Jan 2022 through the Bayesian Block algorithm. We find that the MVTs peak at $\sim$ 2 ms, corresponding to a light travel time size of about 600 km, which supports the magnetospheric origin in pulsar-like models. The shock radius and the Lorentz factor of the jet are also constrained in GRB-like models. Interestingly, the MVT of the XRB associated with FRB 200428 is $\sim$ 70 ms, which is longer than that of most bursts and implies its special radiation mechanism. Besides, the median of MVTs is 7 ms, shorter than the median MVTs of 40 ms and 480 ms for short GRBs or long GRBs, respectively. However, the MVT is independent of duration, similar to GRBs. Finally, we investigate the energy dependence of MVT and suggest that there is a marginal evidence for a power-law relationship like GRBs but the rate of variation is at least about an order of magnitude smaller. These features may provide an approach to identify bursts with a magnetar origin.