<i>XMM</i>–<i>Newton</i> discovery of very high obscuration in the candidate supergiant fast X-ray transient AX J1714.1−3912

We have analysed an archival XMM-Newton EPIC observation that serendipitously covered the sky position of a variable X-ray source AX J1714.1-3912, previously suggested to be Supergiant Fast Transient (SFXT). During is on timescale hundred seconds and shows two luminosity states, with flaring activity followed by unflared emission, variability amplitude factor about 50. discovered intense iron emission line centroid energy 6.4 keV in power law-like spectrum, modified large absorption (NH around 1e24 cm-2), never observed before from this source. This spectrum unusual for SFXT, but resembles so-called "highly obscured sources", high mass binaries (HMXBs) hosting evolved B[e] supergiant companion (sgB[e]). might suggest J1714.1-3912 new member rare type HMXBs, which includes IGR J16318-4848 CI Camelopardalis. Increasing small population sources would remarkable, as they represent interesting short transition evolutionary stage evolution massive binaries. Nevertheless, appears share properties both kinds HMXBs (SFXT vs sgB[e] HMXB). Therefore, further investigations star are needed disentangle hypothesis.