108
P. Esposito et al.
Fig. 3.4 Light curves of bursts observed from SGR 1806–20 with INTEGRAL in the 15–100 keV
range during an active period in 2003. The units of the axes are seconds for the time (x-axis) and
counts per bin in the IBIS/ISGRI instrument for the intensity (y-axis); the time bin is 10 ms (from
Götz et al. [86])
criticality systems [9], which inherently and perpetually evolves into a critical state
where a minor event can start a chain reaction leading to a catastrophe [11].
3.2.2.3 Outbursts
In the magnetar world, the term ‘outburst’ is usually used to denote a large
enhancement (∼10–1000) of the flux that eventually fades away over the course
of months or even years (e.g. Rea and Esposito [181], Coti Zelati et al. [37]).
A few magnetars have never been observed in outburst, others displayed a single
outburst in decades, and some have gone through multiple events. Outbursts, and
P. Esposito et al.
Fig. 3.4 Light curves of bursts observed from SGR 1806–20 with INTEGRAL in the 15–100 keV
range during an active period in 2003. The units of the axes are seconds for the time (x-axis) and
counts per bin in the IBIS/ISGRI instrument for the intensity (y-axis); the time bin is 10 ms (from
Götz et al. [86])
criticality systems [9], which inherently and perpetually evolves into a critical state
where a minor event can start a chain reaction leading to a catastrophe [11].
3.2.2.3 Outbursts
In the magnetar world, the term ‘outburst’ is usually used to denote a large
enhancement (∼10–1000) of the flux that eventually fades away over the course
of months or even years (e.g. Rea and Esposito [181], Coti Zelati et al. [37]).
A few magnetars have never been observed in outburst, others displayed a single
outburst in decades, and some have gone through multiple events. Outbursts, and