Program: GS-2007A-Q-27

Title:Reconciling the magnetar and cluster distances to SGR1806-20 using GNIRS
PI:Paul Crowther
Co-I(s): James Furness, Peter Conti, Simon Clark

Abstract

The Soft Gamma-ray Repeater SGR1806-20 underwent a so-called hyperflare in Dec 2004, with equivalent energy release of order 10^46 erg, depending upon the exact distance to the magnetar (highly magnetized neutron star). Based on a kinematical distance of 15kpc towards the Luminous Blue Variable within the apparent host cluster, a high progenitor mass is inferred for the magnetar. Alternatively, observations of the SGR radio afterglow suggest a reduced distance of 6--9kpc, i.e. questioning its association with the OB cluster. Here, we will use GNIRS to establish a robust distance to the massive cluster, using H and K-band spectroscopy of cluster members, for which recent evidence suggests the near distance, which would impact upon the magnetar progenitor mass, plus the energetics of extragalactic hyperflares observed with Swift.

Publications using this program's data