Disk reflection and energetics from the accreting millisecond pulsar SRGA J144459.2-604207

TL;DR

This study analyzes the spectral and burst properties of the accreting millisecond pulsar SRGA J144459, revealing relativistic reflection features, an ultrafast outflow, and unique burst recurrence behavior, advancing understanding of neutron star accretion physics.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed spectral analysis of SRGA J144459, including relativistic reflection modeling and insights into burst recurrence and outflow phenomena.

Findings

Detection of a broadened iron emission line indicating relativistic effects

Observation of an ultrafast outflow at ~0.04c from the absorption edge

Identification of a unique steep dependence of burst recurrence time on count rate

Abstract

Accreting millisecond pulsars (AMSPs) are excellent laboratories to study reflection spectra and their features from an accretion disk truncated by a rapidly rotating magnetosphere near the neutron star surface. These systems also exhibit thermonuclear (type-I) bursts that can provide insights on the accretion physics and fuel composition. We explore spectral properties of the AMSP SRGA J144459 observed during the outburst that recently led to its discovery in February 2024. We aim to characterize the spectral shape of the persistent emission and to analyze type-I bursts properties employing XMM + NuSTAR overlapping observations taken during the most recent outburst. We perform spectral analysis of the time-averaged persistent (i.e., non-bursting) emission. For this, we first employ a semi-phenomenological continuum model made of a dominant thermal Comptonization plus two thermal contributions. A separate fit has also been performed employing a physical reflection model. We also perform time-resolved spectral analysis of a type-I burst employing a blackbody model. We observe a broadened iron emission line, thus suggesting relativistic effects, supported by the physical model accounting for relativistically blurred reflection. The resulting accretion disk extends down to 6 gravitational radii, inclined at ~$53^{\circ}$, and only moderately ionized (log$\xi\simeq2.3$). We observe an absorption edge at ~9.7 keV that can be interpreted as an Fe XXVI edge blueshifted by an ultrafast ($\simeq0.04$c) outflow. Our broadband observations of type-I bursts do not find evidence of photospheric radius expansion. The burst recurrence time shows a dependence on the count rate with the steepest slope ever observed in these systems. We also observe a discrepancy of ~3 between the observed and expected burst recurrence time, which we discuss in the framework of fuel composition and high NS mass scenarios.