Detection of multiple X-ray quasi-periodic oscillations in IGR J19294+1816 with Insight-HXMT

TL;DR

This study reports the detection of multiple quasi-periodic oscillations in the X-ray binary IGR J19294+1816 using Insight-HXMT, revealing complex timing features and sideband signals near the neutron star's spin frequency.

Contribution

First detection of multiple QPOs and sidebands in IGR J19294+1816, providing insights into its magnetic field and accretion processes.

Findings

Detected QPOs at ~30.2 mHz, 51.1 mHz, and 113.7 mHz.

Identified sideband signals near the neutron star's spin frequency.

QPO features show transient behavior and energy-dependent amplitude.

Abstract

We report the timing results with Insight-HXMT observations of X-ray binary IGR J19294+1816 during its 2019 Type I outburst at the decline phase shortly following its peak. We analyze the light curves and power density spectrum (PDS) of the 2019 observations and reveal a peak at approximately $\nu_{NS} \sim 80.2$ mHz, corresponding to X-ray pulsations from the neutron star. In addition, a significant quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) feature is observed at around $\nu_{QPO} \sim 30.2$ mHz from 10-50 keV, with the rms amplitude increasing with energy. Furthermore, we detect two QPOs at the frequency of $\sim 51.1$ mHz and $113.7$ mHz (corresponding to sidebands near $\nu_{NS} \pm \nu_{QPO}$) in 25-50 keV, exhibiting an rms amplitude of around 12$\%$. Wavelet analysis also shows multiple QPOs at the frequency of $\sim 30$ mHz, $50$ mHz and $ 110$ mHz and these QPO features show transient behaviors, the centroid frequencies of $\sim 30$ mHz remain nearly constant for different luminosities. Our research identifies IGR J19294+1816 as the second strong magnetic-field pulsar with significant sideband signals around the spin frequency. We explore various physical origins that could explain the presence of multiple QPOs.