XRF 241001A/SN 2024aiiq: A Faint Soft X-ray Transient Detected by SVOM with a Broad-Line Type Ic Supernova Revealed by JWST

TL;DR

This paper reports the detection and analysis of a soft, low-luminosity X-ray transient, XRF 241001A, associated with a broad-line Type Ic supernova, demonstrating the capabilities of SVOM and JWST in studying such events.

Contribution

It presents the first detailed multi-wavelength observations of a faint X-ray transient linked to a Type Ic supernova, highlighting its connection to the long GRB population.

Findings

XRF 241001A is a low-energy, soft X-ray transient at z=0.573.

The associated supernova is a broad-line Type Ic similar to SN 1998bw.

The event supports the idea that some XRFs are low-energy tails of long GRBs.

Abstract

X-ray flashes (XRFs) are a type of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) with prompt emission predominantly below 30 keV poorly detected by previous missions. The advent of the SVOM mission, with its wide-field instrument ECLAIRs, provides a new way to detect soft X-ray transients such as XRFs. We present photometric and spectroscopic observations of XRF 241001A detected by SVOM, a soft, sub-luminous, and low-energetic burst located in a poorly populated region of the Amati relation. We investigate the origin of its faint, soft high-energy emission to assess its connection to the long GRB population. We analyze the SVOM/ECLAIRs prompt emission and model its afterglow emission from X-ray to-radio. We present JWST/NIRSpec and SVOM/VT observations of the associated supernova (SN 2024aiiq), which we model with an Arnett radioactive decay component and compare its properties with previously detected GRB/SNe. XRF 241001A is located at z = 0.573 and has a prompt emission dominated by photons below 20 keV with a duration of T90 = 3.14 seconds. Its spectrum can be modeled by non-thermal or thermal models, all pointing towards a low Epeak < 10 keV and Eiso ~ 8x10^49 erg. The X-ray-to-radio afterglow modeling favors an origin from a relativistic jet viewed on-axis. In the optical, XRF 241001A exhibits an early blue emission, similar to that detected in some fast X-ray transients and inconsistent with synchrotron emission. The JWST/NIRSpec observations firmly established its collapsar origin by revealing a SN Type Ic with broad lines, comparable to SN 1998bw and SN 2025kg-like events. XRF 241001A is a soft, low-luminosity collapsar event produced by a weak relativistic jet observed on-axis, supporting the view that part of the XRF population forms the low-energy tail of the long GRB population. It demonstrates the potential of SVOM/ECLAIRs to probe the soft regime of the high-energy transient population.