By combining data from several X-ray telescopes (Swift/XRT, NICER, Chandra) we reconstructed a profile of the 2019 outburst of accreting X-ray pulsar 4U 1901+03 from its peak down to the return to the ‘‘low’’ state. Softening of the X-ray spectrum and disappearance of the pulsations at a later stages of the outburst tentatively indicates that the source transitioned to the ‘‘propeller’’ state at luminosity about 10^36 erg s ^-1 , which corresponds to a magnetic field strength of B≲ 10^12 G at the neutron star surface. We also investigated the fast X-ray variability that was observed during the peak of 2003 outburst. The shape of the power spectrum could be described with a broken power law, with a break frequency of 7.5 Hz. Assuming that this frequency corresponds to a viscous frequency at a magnetospheric boundary we estimated magnetic field strength as B≈ 7× 10^11 G, which is similar to the estimate obtained from observed transition to the ‘‘propeller’’ regime.

Progress in X-ray astronomy is impossible without progress in X-ray detector technology. Currently, semiconductor X-ray detectors provide the best performance in terms of time and energy resolution. This paper presents a description of three types of semiconductor detectors, their sensitive elements, and specialized signal processing integrated circuits for the SpektrRG and Gamma-400 projects and the MVN (All Sky Monitor) space experiment.

We present the results of the first X-ray polarimetric observation of the low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1957+115, performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer in May 2023. The binary system has been in a high-soft spectral state since its discovery and is thought to host a black hole. The ∼571 ks observation reveals a linear polarisation degree of 1.9%±0.6% and a polarisation angle of −41.°8±7.°9 in the 2–8 keV energy range. Spectral modelling is consistent with the dominant contribution coming from the standard accretion disc, while polarimetric data suggest a significant role of returning radiation: photons that are bent by strong gravity effects and forced to return to the disc surface, where they can be reflected before eventually reaching the observer. In this setting, we find that models with a black hole spin lower than 0.96 and an inclination lower than 50° are disfavoured.

We present a catalog of sources detected by the Mikhail Pavlinsky ART-XC telescope onboard the SRG space observatory during the observations of the Galactic plane region near a longitude l≃ 20^∘ (L20 field) in October 2019. The L20 field was observed four times in the scanning mode, which provided a uniform coverage of the sky region with a total area of ≃24 deg^2 with a median sensitivity of 8× 10^-13 erg s ^-1 cm ^-2 (at 50 % detection completeness) in the 4–12 keV energy band. As a result, we have detected 29 X-ray sources at a statistically significant level, 11 of which have not been detected previously by other X-ray observatories. Preliminary estimates show that four of them can presumably be extragalactic in nature. We also show that the source SRGA J183220.1 - 103508 (CXOGSG J183220.8 - 103510) is most likely a galaxy cluster containing a bright radio galaxy at redshift z≃ 0.121 .

Modern scientific research is impossible without a broad international cooperation. Sometimes its necessity is dictated by economic reasons, sometimes by the fact that different countries have developed different branches of science and technology needed for a specific experiment, and sometimes the geography also contributes to the cooperation. As you know from the school curriculum, from our northern latitudes, where Russia is located, not the entire sky is visible. For example, Russian astronomers will not be able to see the Magellanic Clouds or the famous Southern Cross without traveling to the southern hemisphere. It seems even more important to provide Russian scientists with the opportunity to conduct research throughout the entire sky, as well as the ability to continuously receive scientific data from spacecrafts both current and future. To solve these problems, it seems appropriate to expand cooperation in the field of astronomy and space research with the South African Republic.

We report on the detection of type-C quasi-periodic oscillations during the initial stages of the outburst of Swift J1727.8-1613 in 2023. Using data of the INTEGRAL observatory along with the data of the SRG/ART-XC and Swift/XRT telescopes the fast growth of the QPO frequency was traced. We present a hard X-ray lightcurve that covers the initial stages of the 2023 outburst - the fast rise and plateau - and demonstrate that the QPO frequency was stable during the plateau. The switching from type-C to type-B QPO was detected with the beginning of the source flaring activity. We have constructed a broad-band spectrum of Swift J1727.8-1613 and found an additional hard power-law spectral component extending at least up to 400 keV. Finally, we have obtained an upper limit on the hard X-ray flux at the beginning of the optical outburst and estimated the delay of the X-ray outburst with respect to the optical one.

Bright blazars were found to be prominent neutrino sources, and a number of IceCube events were associated with them. Evaluating high-energy photon emission of such blazars is crucial for better understanding of the processes and regions where neutrinos are produced. Here, we focus on hard X-ray emission observed by the SRG/ART-XC telescope, by the Swift/BAT imager, and by the INTEGRAL/IBIS telescope. Their energy range ~10 keV is well-suited for probing photons that potentially participate in neutrino production by interacting with ultrarelativistic protons. We find that neutrino-associated blazars tend to demonstrate remarkably strong X-ray emission compared to other VLBI blazars in the sky. Both neutrinos and hard X-rays are found to come from blazars at cosmological distances z ~ 1, and are boosted by relativistic beaming that makes it possible to detect them on Earth. Our results suggest that neutrinos are produced within compact blazar jets, with target X-ray photons emitted from accelerated jet regions.

ABSTRACT We present a catalogue of point sources detected with the Mikhail Pavlinsky ART-XC telescope onboard the SRG observatory during a wide-field survey of the Galactic Bulge that was conducted as part of the mission’s calibration and performance verification phase in 2019. The survey consisted of nearly 18 d of consecutive scanning observations of the sky region |l| < 6 deg, |b| < 2.5 deg with the median sensitivity of 4 × 10−13 erg s−1 cm−2 in the 4–12 keV energy band, which allows the detection of sources down to a luminosity of 3 × 1033 erg s−1 near the Galactic Centre. Using a maximum-likelihood-based algorithm, 172 sources were detected. Of these, 153 are registered on the average 4–12 keV map and 18 sources are either extremely hard (detected only at energies above 7 keV) or highly variable (detected only in individual scans shorter than a day). For 121 sources, there are plausible counterparts in other X-ray source catalogues, including 43 with known classification. The remaining 51 sources are previously unknown objects, discovered by ART-XC during the Galactic Bulge survey.

Dark matter sterile neutrinos radiatively decay in the Milky Way, which can be tested with searches for almost monochromatic photons in the X-ray cosmic spectrum. We analyse the data of SRG/ART-XC telescope operated for two years in the all-sky survey mode. With no significant hints in the Galactic diffuse X-ray spectrum we explore models with sterile neutrino masses in 12-40 keV range and exclude corresponding regions of sterile-active neutrino mixing.

We report the discovery of the new accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar SRGA J144459.2-604207 using data of the SRG/ART-XC. The source was observed twice in February 2024 during the declining phase of the outburst. The timing analysis revealed a coherent signal near 447.9 Hz modulated by the Doppler effect due to the orbital motion. The derived parameters for the binary system are consistent with a circular orbit with a period of similar to 5.2 h. The pulse profiles of the persistent emission, showing a sine-like part during half a period with a plateau in between, can be well modeled by emission from two circular spots that are partially eclipsed by the accretion disk. Additionally, during our observations with an exposure of 133 ks, we detected 19 thermonuclear X-ray bursts. All bursts have similar shapes and energetics, and none show any signs of an expanding photospheric radius. The burst recurrence times decreases linearly from similar to 1.6 h at the beginning of observations to similar to 2.2 h at the end and anticorrelate with the persistent flux. The spectral evolution during the bursts is consistent with the models of the neutron star atmospheres that are heated by accretion and implies a neutron star radius of 11-12 km and a distance to the source of 8-9 kpc. We also detected coherent pulsations during the bursts and showed that the pulse profiles differ substantially from those observed in the persistent emission. However, we could not find a simple physical model explaining the pulse profiles detected during the bursts.

We present an updated catalog of sources detected by the Mikhail Pavlinsky ART-XC telescope aboard the Spektrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) observatory during its all-sky survey. It is based on the data of the first four and the partially completed fifth scans of the sky (ARTSS1-5). The catalog comprises 1545 sources detected in the 4-12 keV energy band. The achieved sensitivity ranges between similar to 4 x 10(-1)2 erg s(-1) cm(-2) near the ecliptic plane and similar to 7 x 10(-13) erg s(-1) cm(-2) near the ecliptic poles, which is a similar to 30-50% improvement over the previous version of the catalog based on the first two all-sky scans (ARTSS12). There are similar to 130 objects, excluding the expected contribution of spurious detections, that were not known as X-ray sources before the SRG/ART-XC all-sky survey. We provide information, partly based on our ongoing follow-up optical spectroscopy program, on the identification and classification of the majority of the ARTSS1-5 sources (1463), of which 173 are tentative at the moment. The majority of the classified objects (964) are extragalactic, a small fraction (30) are located in the Local Group of galaxies, and 469 are Galactic. The dominant classes of objects in the catalog are active galactic nuclei (911) and cataclysmic variables (192).

ABSTRACT We describe an X-ray source detection method entirely based on the maximum likelihood analysis, in application to observations with the ART-XC telescope onboard the Spectrum Roentgen Gamma observatory. The method optimally combines the data taken at different conditions, a situation commonly found in scanning surveys or mosaic observations with a telescope with a significant off-axis PSF distortion. The method can be naturally extended to include additional information from the X-ray photon energies, detector grades, etc. The likelihood-based source detection naturally results in an optimal use of available information for the sources detection and stable and uniform definition of detection thresholds under different observing conditions (PSF, background level). This greatly simplifies the statistical calibration of the survey needed to, e.g. obtain the $\log N - \log S$ distribution of detected sources or their luminosity function. The method can be applied to the data from any imaging X-ray telescope.

We present the results of our study of the X-ray pulsar IGR J21343+4738 based on NuSTAR, Swift, and SRG observations in the wide energy range 0.3–79 keV. The absence of absorption features in the energy spectra of the source, both averaged and phase-resolved ones, has allowed us to estimate the upper and lower limits on the magnetic field of the neutron star in the binary system, $$B<2.5\times 10^{11}$$ and $$B>3.4\times 10^{12}$$ G, respectively. Our spectral and timing analyses have shown that IGR J21343+4738 has all properties of a quasi-persistent X-ray pulsar with a pulsation period of $$322.71\pm{0.04}$$ s and a luminosity $$L_{x}\simeq 3.3\times 10^{35}$$ erg s $${}^{-1}$$ . Our analysis of the long-term variability of the object in X-rays has confirmed the possible orbital period of the binary system $${\sim}34.3$$ days previously detected in the optical range.

ABSTRACT We present the results of current observations of the young compact cluster of massive stars Westerlund 2 (Wd2) with the Mikhail Pavlinsky ART-XC telescope aboard the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) observatory which we analysed together with the archival Chandra data. In general, Wd2 was detected over the whole electromagnetic spectrum including high-energy gamma rays, which revealed a cosmic ray acceleration in this object to the energies up to tens of TeV. The detection of Wd2 with ART-XC allowed us to perform a joint spectral analysis together with the high resolution Chandra observations of the diffuse emission from a few selected regions in the vicinity of the Wd2 core in the 0.4–20 keV range. To fit the Wd2 X-ray spectrum above a few keV one needs either a non-thermal power-law emission component, or a hot plasma with temperatures ∼ 5 keV. Our magnetohydrodynamic modelling of the plasma flows in Wd2 shows substantially lower electron temperatures in the system and thus the presence of the non-thermal component is certainly preferable. A kinetic model of the particle acceleration demonstrated that the non-thermal component may originate from the synchrotron radiation of multi-TeV electrons and positrons produced in Wd2 in accordance with the TeV photons detection from the source.

We report on an X-ray polarimetric observation of the high-mass X-ray binary LMC X-1 in the high/soft state, obtained by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) in October 2022. The measured polarization is below the minimum detectable polarization of 1.1 per cent (at the 99 per cent confidence level). Simultaneously, the source was observed with the NICER, NuSTAR and SRG/ART-XC instruments, which enabled spectral decomposition into a dominant thermal component and a Comptonized one. The low 2-8 keV polarization of the source did not allow for strong constraints on the black-hole spin and inclination of the accretion disc. However, if the orbital inclination of about 36 degrees is assumed, then the upper limit is consistent with predictions for pure thermal emission from geometrically thin and optically thick discs. Assuming the polarization degree of the Comptonization component to be 0, 4, or 10 per cent, and oriented perpendicular to the polarization of the disc emission (in turn assumed to be perpendicular to the large scale ionization cone orientation detected in the optical band), an upper limit to the polarization of the disc emission of 1.0, 0.9 or 0.9 per cent, respectively, is found (at the 99 per cent confidence level).

Aims. Fast Radio Bursts are bright radio transients whose origin has not yet explained. The search for a multi-wavelength counterpart of those events can put a tight constrain on the emission mechanism and the progenitor source. Methods. We conducted a multi-wavelength observational campaign on FRB 20180916B between October 2020 and August 2021 during eight activity cycles of the source. Observations were led in the radio band by the SRT both at 336 MHz and 1547 MHz and the uGMRT at 400 MHz. Simultaneous observations have been conducted by the optical telescopes Asiago (Galileo and Copernico), CMO SAI MSU, CAHA 2.2m, RTT-150 and TNG, and X/Gamma-ray detectors on board the AGILE, Insight-HXMT, INTEGRAL and Swift satellites. Results. We present the detection of 14 new bursts detected with the SRT at 336 MHz and seven new bursts with the uGMRT from this source. We provide the deepest prompt upper limits in the optical band fro FRB 20180916B to date. In fact, the TNG/SiFAP2 observation simultaneous to a burst detection by uGMRT gives an upper limit E_optical / E_radio < 1.3 x 10^2. Another burst detected by the SRT at 336 MHz was also co-observed by Insight-HMXT. The non-detection in the X-rays yields an upper limit (1-30 keV band) of E_X-ray / E_radio in the range of (0.9-1.3) x 10^7, depending on which model is considered for the X-ray emission.

We present the first results of the SRG observation of the pulsar 4U 1538–52 based on ARC-XC and eROSITA data. An extended emission in the form of a halo is detected around the source in the 0.5–8 keV energy band. Our simulation has shown that its surface brightness distribution can be described by a two-component model composed of a flat disk ∼250^'' in radius and a β -model with a characteristic size ∼480^'' . We have constructed a broadband spectrum of 4U 1538–52 in the energy range 0.5–30 keV, which can be fitted by a weakly absorbed ( N_H≃ 0.7× 10^22 cm ^-2 ) power law with a high-energy cutoff. In addition, iron emission lines are detected in the pulsar spectrum at 6–7 keV. We show that the observed halo spectrum is considerably softer (a power-law index ≃2.8 ) than the pulsar spectrum (a power-law index ≃0.9 ), consistent with the predictions of theoretical models for the X-ray scattering by dust.

X Persei is a persistent low-luminosity X-ray pulsar of period of $\sim$835 s in a Be binary system. The field strength at the neutron star surface is not known precisely, but indirect signs indicate a magnetic field above $10^{13}$ G, which makes the object one of the most magnetized known X-ray pulsars. Here we present the results of observations X Persei performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). The X-ray polarization signal was found to be strongly dependent on the spin phase of the pulsar. The energy-averaged polarization degree in 3-8 keV band varied from several to $\sim$20 per cent over the pulse with a positive correlation with the pulsed X-ray flux. The polarization angle shows significant variation and makes two complete revolutions during the pulse period resulting in nearly nil pulse-phase averaged polarization. Applying the rotating vector model to the IXPE data we obtain the estimates for the rotation axis inclination and its position angle on the sky as well as for the magnetic obliquity. The derived inclination is close to the orbital inclination reported earlier for X Persei. The polarimetric data imply a large angle between the rotation and magnetic dipole axes, which is similar to the result reported recently for the X-ray pulsar GRO J1008$-$57. After eliminating the effect of polarization angle rotation over the pulsar phase using the best-fitting rotating vector model, the strong dependence of the polarization degree with energy was discovered with its value increasing from 0% at $\sim$2 keV to 30% at 8 keV.

We report on Konus-WIND (KW) and Mikhail Pavlinsky Astronomical Roentgen Telescope – X-ray Concentrator (ART-XC) observations and analysis of a nearby GRB 221009A, the brightest γ -ray burst (GRB) detected by KW for >28 yr of observations. The prompt, pulsed phase of the burst emission lasts for ∼600 s and is followed by a steady power-law decay lasting for more than 25 ks. From the analysis of the KW and ART-XC light curves and the KW spectral data, we derive time-averaged spectral peak energy of the burst E _p ≈ 2.6 MeV, E _p at the brightest emission peak ≈ 3.0 MeV, the total 20 keV–10 MeV energy fluence of ≈0.22 erg cm ^−2 , and the peak energy flux in the same band of ≈0.031 erg cm ^−2 s ^−1 . The enormous observed fluence and peak flux imply, at redshift z = 0.151, huge values of isotropic energy release E _iso ≈ 1.2 × 10 ^55 erg (or ≳6.5 solar rest mass) and isotropic peak luminosity L _iso ≈ 3.4 × 10 ^54 erg s ^−1 (64 ms scale), making GRB 221009A the most energetic and one of the most luminous bursts observed since the beginning of the GRB cosmological era in 1997. The isotropic energetics of the burst fit nicely both “Amati” and “Yonetoku” hardness–intensity correlations for >300 KW long GRBs, implying that GRB 221009A is most likely a very hard, super-energetic version of a “normal” long GRB.