NuSTAR view of Be/X-ray binary pulsar 2S 1417–624 during 2018 giant outburst

We report the results obtained from a detailed timing and spectral studies of Be/X-ray binary pulsar 2S 1417–624 using data from Swift and NuSTAR observatories. The observations were carried out at the peak of a giant outburst of the pulsar in 2018. X-ray pulsations at 17.475 s were detected in the source light curves up to ∼79 keV.

The evolution of the pulse profiles with energy was found to be complex. A four-peaked profile at lower energies gradually evolved into a double-peak structure at higher energies. The pulsed fraction of the pulsar, calculated from the NuSTAR observation was found to follow an anti-correlation trend with luminosity as observed during previous giant X-ray outburst studies in 2009.

The broadband spectrum of the pulsar is well described by a composite model consisting of a cutoff power law model modified with the interstellar absorption, a thermal blackbody component with a temperature of ≈1 keV and a Gaussian function for the 6.4 keV iron emission line. Though the pulsar was observed at the peak of the giant outburst, there was no signature of presence of any cyclotron line feature in the spectrum.

The radius of the blackbody emitting region was estimated to be ≈2 km, suggesting that the most probable site of its origin is the stellar surface of the neutron star. Physical models were also explored to understand the emission geometry of the pulsar and are discussed in the paper.