Ginga observations of quasi-periodic oscillations in type II bursts from the Rapid Burster

During Ginga observations of the 'Rapid Burster' in August 1988, strong quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) were detected in its X-ray intensity. The QPOs had centroid frequencies of 5 and 2 Hz during type II X-ray bursts which lasted for 10 and 30 s, respectively. The presence of the QPOs is correlated with the time scale-invariant burst profile. They are very strong during the initial peak in the burst, absent in the second peak, and strong again at the onset of the third peak. From an analysis of the X-ray spectrum as observed during the maxima and minima of the oscillations, it is found that the oscillations can be described by changes of the temperature of a blackbody emitter of constant apparent area.