Search arXiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2511.14429

Probing accretion dynamics and spin evolution in the X-ray pulsar RX J0520.5-6932 during its 2024 Outburst

Rahul Sharma·Aru Beri·Biswajit Paul·Andrea Sanna·Chandreyee Maitra·Haonan Yang
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

After nearly a decade of quiescence, the transient Be/X-ray binary pulsar RX J0520.5-6932 underwent an outburst in 2024. We performed X-ray monitoring of the source with NICER and AstroSat near the peak of the event. Our primary objective is to investigate the energy and luminosity dependence of the pulsed emission, characterize the spin evolution, and study the broadband X-ray spectral properties of RX J0520.5-6932 during the outburst. The AstroSat/LAXPC and NICER light curves reveal pronounced short-duration flaring activity lasting ~400-700 s, with enhancements by a factor of ~2. The pulse profile exhibits a strong dependence on both energy and intensity, evolving from a simple single-peaked structure at low energies to complex multi-peaked shapes at intermediate energies, and reverting to simpler morphologies at higher energies. Pulse profiles during the flares differ significantly from those in the persistent state, indicating changes in the pulsed beam pattern with a change in the intensity on a short timescale. Broadband spectral analysis reveals a soft excess and an emission feature at ~1 keV, likely arising from reprocessed emission in the accretion disc and fluorescence from Ne K and Fe L ions. Continuous NICER monitoring over nearly one orbital cycle enabled us to track spin evolution with accretion-driven spin-up and spectral variability in the soft X-ray band. Additionally, a declining spin-up rate is observed during the outburst, likely due to a gradual reduction in mass accretion rate. Our results provide a comprehensive view of the complex accretion dynamics in RX J0520.5-6932 during its 2024 outburst. The strong variability in pulse shape and spin behaviour highlights rapid changes in the accretion geometry and torque as a function of accretion rate. [Abridged]

Explore related subjects

astro-ph.HE

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Rahul Sharma, Aru Beri, Biswajit Paul, Andrea Sanna, Chandreyee Maitra, Haonan Yang. 2025-11-18. Probing accretion dynamics and spin evolution in the X-ray pulsar RX J0520.5-6932 during its 2024 Outburst. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361%2F202557736

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Deciphering the Physical Origin of GRB 240825A: A Long GRB Lacking a Bright Supernova

We present a comprehensive multiwavelength analysis of GRB 240825A, a bright gamma-ray burst (GRB) detected by Fermi and Swift, with a prompt duration ($T_{\rm 90}$ $\sim$ 4 sec in 50-300 keV in GBM) near the boundary separating short and long GRBs, prompting a detailed investigation into its classification and progenitor. We use classical prompt metrics (duration, minimum variability timescale (MVT), lag, and spectral hardness) and modern classification techniques (machine-learning (ML) based t-SNE, support vector machine, energy-hardness-duration, and $\varepsilon \equiv E_{γ,\mathrm{iso},52} / E_{p,z,2}^{5/3}$) and find most properties (prompt energetics, placement on the Amati relation, and spectral lag) of GRB 240825A consistent with a collapsar origin. However, extensive late-time optical and NIR follow-up with the 10.4m GTC and 8.4m binocular LBT telescopes reveals no bright supernova (like SN 1998bw) is detected down to stringent limits (e.g., $m_r > 25.0$ mag at 17.59 days), despite a redshift of $z = 0.659$ measured from GTC spectroscopy. Host galaxy SED modeling with Prospector indicates a massive, and star-forming galaxy-typical of collapsar GRB hosts, though with a large offset. We compare these findings with hybrid events like GRB 211211A, GRB 230307A, GRB 200826A, including SNe-GRBs, and conclude that GRB 240825A most likely originated from a massive star collapse, possibly with the associated SN heavily obscured or intrinsically faint. This study emphasizes the need for multiwavelength follow-up and a multi-layered classification to determine GRB progenitors.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2026

The impact of flickering variability and magnetisation on the dynamics, stability and morphology of radio-loud AGN jets

The physics governing the morphology of radio-loud AGN jets is not fully understood. We investigate how magnetization, flickering jet power and their interplay affects the morphology of radio galaxies. We present a grid of relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations using the PLUTO code covering constant and variable jets with two levels of magnetisation. We find that the constant high magnetisation jets can lead to highly asymmetrical cocoon morphologies, whilst the variable high magnetisation jet can exhibit a broken morphology, caused by a discontinuous jet beam. Our work highlights the importance of magnetisation and variability on the stability and resulting morphology of radio-loud AGN jets, suggesting both are significant factors in addition to jet power or environment. Furthermore, we show that the interaction between magnetisation and variability can lead to the development of localised kink instabilities along the jet beam. Finally, we discuss the effects of hydrodynamic mixing in low magnetisation jets and the role of viewing angle dependence in comparisons between our simulations and observed sources. To facilitate this comparison we present a library of simulated radio images at different times in the simulations and from various viewing angles, which highlight a diverse set of complex morphologies.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2026

Magnetic Eruption and Nucleosynthesis in GRνMHD Simulations of Spinning Neutron Star Mergers

We present three-dimensional general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics simulations of equal-mass binary neutron star mergers with varied neutron star spin configurations and second-moment neutrino transport, following the formation and early evolution of long-lived remnants. We compare a fiducial irrotational binary with binaries having spins that are aligned or antialigned with the orbital angular momentum, and examime how spin affects the merger dynamics, magnetic field evolution, outflows, and nucleosynthesis. Compared to the fiducial case, the aligned spin configuration releases more cold, neutron-rich tidal ejecta in the equatorial plane, which enables the development of a more tightly collimated polar outflow erupting from the remnant and inner accretion disk. Conversely, the case with spins antialigned with the orbit experiences a more violent collision at merger, disrupting magnetic amplification, loading the environment with debris, and impeding the propagation of magnetically driven winds. Strong neutrino reprocessing of the polar outflow in the irrotational and aligned spin cases produces $2.4\times 10^{-3}\,M_\odot$ of proton-rich ($Y_e \geq 0.49$) material, resulting in the synthesis of light r-process elements, whose subsequent decay potentially sends a unique electromagnetic signal from long-lived remnants. However, the outflows remain too dense and slow to be consistent with typical short gamma-ray bursts.

astro-ph.HE↗