The 3 Ms Chandra campaign on Sgr A*: A census of X-ray flaring activity from the Galactic center

J. Neilsen; M. A. Nowak; C. Gammie; J. Dexter; S. Markoff; D. Haggard; S. Nayakshin; Q. D. Wang; N. Grosso; D. Porquet; J. A. Tomsick; N. Degenaar; P. C. Fragile; J. C. Houck; R. Wijnands; J. M. Miller; F. K. Baganoff

doi:10.1017/S1743921314000945

The 3 Ms Chandra campaign on Sgr A*: A census of X-ray flaring activity from the Galactic center

J. Neilsen, M. A. Nowak, C. Gammie, J. Dexter, S. Markoff, D. Haggard, S. Nayakshin, Q. D. Wang, N. Grosso, D. Porquet, J. A. Tomsick, N. Degenaar, P. C. Fragile, J. C. Houck, R. Wijnands, J. M. Miller, F. K. Baganoff

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Abstract

Over the last decade, X-ray observations of Sgr A* have revealed a black hole in a deep sleep, punctuated roughly once per day by brief flares. The extreme X-ray faintness of this supermassive black hole has been a long-standing puzzle in black hole accretion. To study the accretion processes in the Galactic center, Chandra (in concert with numerous ground- and space-based observatories) undertook a 3 Ms campaign on Sgr A* in 2012. With its excellent observing cadence, sensitivity, and spectral resolution, this Chandra X-ray Visionary Project (XVP) provides an unprecedented opportunity to study the behavior of the closest supermassive black hole. We present a progress report from our ongoing study of X-ray flares, including the brightest flare ever seen from Sgr A*. Focusing on the statistics of the flares and the quiescent emission, we discuss the physical implications of X-ray variability in the Galactic center.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	374-378
Number of pages	5
Journal	Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Volume	9
Issue number	S303
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921314000945
State	Published - May 2014

Keywords

accretion
accretion disks
black hole physics
radiation mechanisms: nonthermal

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Online availability

10.1017/S1743921314000945

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Neilsen, J., Nowak, M. A., Gammie, C., Dexter, J., Markoff, S., Haggard, D., Nayakshin, S., Wang, Q. D., Grosso, N., Porquet, D., Tomsick, J. A., Degenaar, N., Fragile, P. C., Houck, J. C., Wijnands, R., Miller, J. M., & Baganoff, F. K. (2014). The 3 Ms Chandra campaign on Sgr A*: A census of X-ray flaring activity from the Galactic center. Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 9(S303), 374-378. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921314000945

Neilsen, J, Nowak, MA, Gammie, C, Dexter, J, Markoff, S, Haggard, D, Nayakshin, S, Wang, QD, Grosso, N, Porquet, D, Tomsick, JA, Degenaar, N, Fragile, PC, Houck, JC, Wijnands, R, Miller, JM & Baganoff, FK 2014, 'The 3 Ms Chandra campaign on Sgr A*: A census of X-ray flaring activity from the Galactic center', Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, vol. 9, no. S303, pp. 374-378. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921314000945

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abstract = "Over the last decade, X-ray observations of Sgr A* have revealed a black hole in a deep sleep, punctuated roughly once per day by brief flares. The extreme X-ray faintness of this supermassive black hole has been a long-standing puzzle in black hole accretion. To study the accretion processes in the Galactic center, Chandra (in concert with numerous ground- and space-based observatories) undertook a 3 Ms campaign on Sgr A* in 2012. With its excellent observing cadence, sensitivity, and spectral resolution, this Chandra X-ray Visionary Project (XVP) provides an unprecedented opportunity to study the behavior of the closest supermassive black hole. We present a progress report from our ongoing study of X-ray flares, including the brightest flare ever seen from Sgr A*. Focusing on the statistics of the flares and the quiescent emission, we discuss the physical implications of X-ray variability in the Galactic center.",

keywords = "accretion, accretion disks, black hole physics, radiation mechanisms: nonthermal",

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T2 - A census of X-ray flaring activity from the Galactic center

AU - Neilsen, J.

AU - Nowak, M. A.

AU - Gammie, C.

AU - Dexter, J.

AU - Markoff, S.

AU - Haggard, D.

AU - Nayakshin, S.

AU - Wang, Q. D.

AU - Grosso, N.

AU - Porquet, D.

AU - Tomsick, J. A.

AU - Degenaar, N.

AU - Fragile, P. C.

AU - Houck, J. C.

AU - Wijnands, R.

AU - Miller, J. M.

AU - Baganoff, F. K.

PY - 2014/5

Y1 - 2014/5

N2 - Over the last decade, X-ray observations of Sgr A* have revealed a black hole in a deep sleep, punctuated roughly once per day by brief flares. The extreme X-ray faintness of this supermassive black hole has been a long-standing puzzle in black hole accretion. To study the accretion processes in the Galactic center, Chandra (in concert with numerous ground- and space-based observatories) undertook a 3 Ms campaign on Sgr A* in 2012. With its excellent observing cadence, sensitivity, and spectral resolution, this Chandra X-ray Visionary Project (XVP) provides an unprecedented opportunity to study the behavior of the closest supermassive black hole. We present a progress report from our ongoing study of X-ray flares, including the brightest flare ever seen from Sgr A*. Focusing on the statistics of the flares and the quiescent emission, we discuss the physical implications of X-ray variability in the Galactic center.

AB - Over the last decade, X-ray observations of Sgr A* have revealed a black hole in a deep sleep, punctuated roughly once per day by brief flares. The extreme X-ray faintness of this supermassive black hole has been a long-standing puzzle in black hole accretion. To study the accretion processes in the Galactic center, Chandra (in concert with numerous ground- and space-based observatories) undertook a 3 Ms campaign on Sgr A* in 2012. With its excellent observing cadence, sensitivity, and spectral resolution, this Chandra X-ray Visionary Project (XVP) provides an unprecedented opportunity to study the behavior of the closest supermassive black hole. We present a progress report from our ongoing study of X-ray flares, including the brightest flare ever seen from Sgr A*. Focusing on the statistics of the flares and the quiescent emission, we discuss the physical implications of X-ray variability in the Galactic center.

KW - accretion

KW - accretion disks

KW - black hole physics

KW - radiation mechanisms: nonthermal

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The 3 Ms Chandra campaign on Sgr A*: A census of X-ray flaring activity from the Galactic center

Abstract

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