Fast X-ray transients in NuSTAR data

TL;DR

This study identifies five fast X-ray transients in NuSTAR data, revealing a population with hard spectra and potential links to gamma-ray bursts and galaxy hosts, expanding understanding of high-energy transient phenomena.

Contribution

First detection of hard-spectrum FXTs in NuSTAR data, suggesting a new class related to low-luminosity gamma-ray bursts with estimated high volumetric rates.

Findings

Five FXT candidates identified in NuSTAR data

Most FXTs have hard spectra with power-law indices between -3 and 0

Some FXTs are associated with galaxies at redshifts 0.1-2

Abstract

Fast X-ray transients (FXTs) are flashes of X-rays that last for a few hundreds of seconds to a few hours. An enigmatic population of these transients that did not have a clear origin has been known for several decades, mostly found serendipitously in soft X-ray imaging observations. Recent progress in this field by Einstein Probe has found that many FXTs are associated with gamma-ray bursts and the collapse of massive stars. Motivated by this, we searched the NuSTAR archive in the harder 3--79 keV band for $\sim1000$ s duration transients. From 204 Ms of exposure we present five candidate FXTs, four of which are spectrally hard, with power-law indices $-3<\Gamma<0$, standing them apart from FXTs discovered in the soft band. Three have potential associations with galaxies at $z=0.1-2$, implying 3--79 keV luminosities of $10^{43}$ to $10^{48}$ erg s$^{-1}$ and volumetric event rates of 125--2900 Gpc$^{-3}$ yr$^{-1}$. The properties of these NuSTAR FXTs most resemble low-luminosity gamma-ray bursts, and would be much more common than their higher-luminosity counterparts in this redshift range.