Transient outburst mechanisms in Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients
Abstract
Description
The recent discovery of a new class of recurrent and fast X-ray transient sources, the Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients, poses interesting questions on the possible mechanisms responsible for their transient X-ray emission. The association with blue supergiants, the spectral properties similar to those of accreting pulsars and the detection, in a few cases, of X-ray pulsations, confirm that these transients are High Mass X-ray Binaries. I review the different mechanisms proposed to explain their transient outbursts and the link to persistent wind accretors. I discuss the different models in light of the new observational results coming from an on-going monitoring campaign of four Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients with Swift.
Invited talk at the 37th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, held on 13-20 July 2008, in Montreal, Canada. Symposium E, session 11. Accepted for publication in Advances in Space Research. The text and the title have been modified according to the referee's suggestions
Invited talk at the 37th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, held on 13-20 July 2008, in Montreal, Canada. Symposium E, session 11. Accepted for publication in Advances in Space Research. The text and the title have been modified according to the referee's suggestions