Observations of the 599 Hz accreting X-ray pulsar IGR J00291+5934 during the 2004 outburst and in quiescence

We report on optical and near-infrared observations obtained during and after the 2004 December discovery outburst of the X-ray transient and accretion-powered millisecond pulsar IGR J00291+5934. Our observations monitored the evolution of the brightness and the spectral properties of IGR J00291+5934 during the outburst decay toward quiescence. We also present optical, near-infrared, and Chandra observations obtained during true quiescence. Photometry of the field during outburst reveals an optical and near-infrared counterpart that brightened from R similar or equal to 23 to R similar or equal to 17 and from K = 19 to K similar or equal to 16. Spectral analysis of the RIJHK broadband photometry shows excess in the near-infrared bands that may be due to synchrotron emission. The H alpha emission line profile suggests the orbital inclination is similar or equal to 22 degrees-32 degrees. The preferred range for the reddening toward the source is 0.7 <= E(B - V) <= 0: 9, which is equivalent to 4.06 x 10(21) cm(-2) <= N-H <= 5.22 x 10(21) cm(-2). The Chandra observations of the pulsar in its quiescent state gave an unabsorbed 0.5-10 keV flux for the best-fitting power-law model to the source spectrum of (7.0 +/- 0.9)x10(-14) ergs cm(-2) s(-1) (adopting a hydrogen column of 4.6x10(21) cm(-2)). The fit resulted in a power-law photon index of 2.4(-0.4)(+0.5). The (R - K)(0) color observed during quiescence supports an irradiated donor star and accretion disk. We estimate a distance of 2-4 kpc toward IGR J00291+ 5934 by using the outburst X-ray light curve and the estimated critical X-ray luminosity necessary to keep the outer parts of the accretion disk ionized. Using the quiescent X-ray luminosity and the spin period, we constrain the magnetic field of the neutron star to be <3x10(8) G.