scholarly journals From SN 2010da to NGC 300 ULX-1: Ten Years of Observations of an Unusual High Mass X-Ray Binary in NGC 300

Galaxies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
Breanna A. Binder ◽  
Stefania Carpano ◽  
Marianne Heida ◽  
Ryan Lau
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Binary System ◽  
South African ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Nearby Galaxy ◽  
Transient Event ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Amateur Astronomer ◽  
Multi Wavelength ◽  
Optical Transient

In May 2010, an intermediate luminosity optical transient was discovered in the nearby galaxy NGC 300 by a South African amateur astronomer. In the decade since its discovery, multi-wavelength observations of the misnamed “SN 2010da” have continually reshaped our understanding of this high mass X-ray binary system. In this review, we present an overview of the multi-wavelength observations and attempt to understand the 2010 transient event, and later, the reclassification of this system as NGC 300 ULX-1: a red supergiant + neutron star ultraluminous X-ray source.

scholarly journals Swift J011511.0-725611: discovery of a rare Be star/white dwarf binary system in the SMC

2021 ◽  
Vol 508 (1) ◽  
pp. 781-788
Author(s):  
J A Kennea ◽  
M J Coe ◽  
P A Evans ◽  
L J Townsend ◽  
Z A Campbell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Binary System ◽  
South African ◽  
White Dwarf ◽  
Compact Object ◽  
Type Ii ◽  
Large Telescope ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Be Star

ABSTRACT We report on the discovery of Swift J011511.0-725611, a rare Be X-ray binary system (BeXRB) with a white dwarf (WD) compact object, in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) by S-CUBED, a weekly X-ray/UV survey of the SMC by the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Observations show an approximately 3 month outburst from Swift J011511.0-725611, the first detected by S-CUBED since it began in 2016 June. Swift J011511.0-725611 shows supersoft X-ray emission, indicative of a WD compact object, which is further strengthened by the presence of an 0.871 keV edge, commonly attributed to O viii K-edge in the WD atmosphere. Spectroscopy by South African Large Telescope confirms the Be nature of the companion star, and long term light curve by OGLE finds both the signature of a circumstellar disc in the system at outburst time, and the presence of a 17.4 day periodicity, likely the orbital period of the system. Swift J011511.0-725611 is suggested to be undergoing a Type-II outburst, similar to the previously reported SMC Be white dwarf binary (BeWD), Swift J004427.3-734801. It is likely that the rarity of known BeWD is in part due to the difficulty in detecting such outbursts due to both their rarity, and their relative faintness compared to outbursts in Neutron Star BeXRBs.

scholarly journals Preliminary determinations of the masses of the neutron star and mass donor in the high mass X-ray binary system EXO 1722–363

2010 ◽  
Vol 509 ◽  
pp. A79 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. B. Mason ◽  
A. J. Norton ◽  
J. S. Clark ◽  
I. Negueruela ◽  
P. Roche
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Binary System ◽  
High Mass ◽  
X Ray ◽  
The Masses

scholarly journals SS433 and the nature of ultra-luminous X-ray sources

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (S238) ◽  
pp. 219-224
Author(s):  
P. A. Charles ◽  
A. D. Barnes ◽  
J. Casares ◽  
J. S. Clark ◽  
R. Cornelisse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Neutron Star ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Binary System ◽  
Compact Object ◽  
High Mass ◽  
X Ray ◽  
New Class ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
X Ray Binaries

AbstractThe prototypical micro-quasar, SS433, one of the most bizarre objects in the Galaxy, is a weak X-ray source, yet the kinetic energy of its relativistic, precessing jets is vastly greater. In spite of its importance as the nearest example of directly observable relativistic phenomena, we know remarkably little about the nature of this binary system. There are ongoing arguments not only about the mass of the compact object, but even as to whether it is a black hole or a neutron star, an argument that recent high resolution optical spectroscopy has contributed to.Combined with the INTEGRAL discovery of a new class of highly obscured galactic high-mass X-ray binaries, one of which has been found to precess on a similar timescale to SS433, we suggest that these would indeed be seen by external observers as ULXs, once additional effects such as beaming (either relativistic or geometrical) are included.

scholarly journals Mass transfer on a nuclear timescale in models of supergiant and ultra-luminous X-ray binaries

2019 ◽  
Vol 628 ◽  
pp. A19 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Quast ◽  
N. Langer ◽  
T. M. Tauris
Keyword(s):  
Mass Transfer ◽  
Black Hole ◽  
Neutron Star ◽  
Roche Lobe ◽  
High Mass ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Mass Ratios ◽  
X Ray Binaries ◽  
Eddington Limit

Context. The origin and number of the Galactic supergiant X-ray binaries is currently not well understood. They consist of an evolved massive star and a neutron star or black-hole companion. X-rays are thought to be generated from the accretion of wind material donated by the supergiant, while mass transfer due to Roche-lobe overflow is mostly disregarded because the high mass ratios of these systems are thought to render this process unstable. Aims. We investigate how the proximity of supergiant donor stars to the Eddington limit, and their advanced evolutionary stage, may influence the evolution of massive and ultra-luminous X-ray binaries with supergiant donor stars (SGXBs and ULXs). Methods. We constructed models of massive stars with different internal hydrogen and helium gradients (H/He gradients) and different hydrogen-rich envelope masses, and exposed them to slow mass-loss to probe the response of the stellar radius. In addition, we computed the corresponding Roche-lobe overflow mass-transfer evolution with our detailed binary stellar evolution code, approximating the compact objects as point masses. Results. We find that a H/He gradient in the layers beneath the surface, as it is likely present in the well-studied donor stars of observed SGBXs, can enable mass transfer in SGXBs on a nuclear timescale with a black-hole or a neutron star accretor, even for mass ratios in excess of 20. In our binary evolution models, the donor stars rapidly decrease their thermal equilibrium radius and can therefore cope with the inevitably strong orbital contraction imposed by the high mass ratio. We find that the orbital period derivatives of our models agree well with empirical values. We argue that the SGXB phase may be preceded by a common-envelope evolution. The envelope inflation near the Eddington limit means that this mechanism more likely occurs at high metallicity. Conclusion. Our results open a new perspective for understanding that SGBXs are numerous in our Galaxy and are almost completely absent in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Our results may also offer a way to find more ULX systems, to detect mass transfer on nuclear timescales in ULX systems even with neutron star accretors, and shed new light on the origin of the strong B-field in these neutron stars.

scholarly journals Modelling decretion discs in Be/X-ray binaries

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
R O Brown ◽  
M J Coe ◽  
W C G Ho ◽  
A T Okazaki
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Orbital Period ◽  
Major Axis ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Be Stars ◽  
Semi Major Axis ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Smoothed Particle ◽  
X Ray Binaries

Abstract As the largest population of high mass X-ray binaries, Be/X-ray binaries provide an excellent laboratory to investigate the extreme physics of neutron stars. It is generally accepted that Be stars possess a circumstellar disc, providing an additional source of accretion to the stellar winds present around young hot stars. Interaction between the neutron star and the disc is often the dominant accretion mechanism. A large amount of work has gone into modelling the properties of these circumstellar discs, allowing for the explanation of a number of observable phenomena. In this paper, smoothed particle hydroynamics simulations are performed whilst varying the model parameters (orbital period, eccentricity, the mass ejection rate of the Be star and the viscosity and orientation of the disc). The relationships between the model parameters and the disc’s characteristics (base gas density, the accretion rate of the neutron star and the disc’s size) are presented. The observational evidence for a dependency of the size of the Be star’s circumstellar disc on the orbital period (and semi-major axis) is supported by the simulations.

scholarly journals Torque Reversals in Disk Accreting Pulsars

1998 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-253
Author(s):  
Jianke Li ◽  
Dayal T. Wickramasinghe
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Binary System ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Time Scale ◽  
Accretion Rate ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
X Ray ◽  
The Past ◽  
X Ray Binaries ◽  
Coherent Picture

AbstractX-ray binaries in which the accreting component is a neutron star commonly exhibit significant changes in their spin. In the system Cen X-3, a disk accreting binary system, the pulsar was observed to spin up at a rate ḟ = 8 × 10−13 Hz s−1 when averaged over the past twenty years, but significant fluctuations were observed above this mean. Recent BASTE observations have disclosed that these fluctuations are much larger than previously noted, and appeared to be a system characteristic. The change in the spin state from spin-up to spin-down or vice-versa occurs on a time scale that is much shorter than the instrument can resolve (≤1 d), but appears always to be a similar amplitude, and to occur stochastically. These observations have posed a problem for the conventional torque–mass accretion relation for accreting pulsars, because in this model the spin rate is closely related to the accretion rate, and the latter needs to be finely tuned and to change abruptly to explain the observations. Here we review recent work in this direction and present a coherent picture that explains these observations. We also draw attention to some outstanding problems for future studies.

scholarly journals SPECTRAL AND TIMING NATURE OF THE SYMBIOTIC X-RAY BINARY 4U 1954+319: THE SLOWEST ROTATING NEUTRON STAR IN AN X-RAY BINARY SYSTEM

2014 ◽  
Vol 786 (2) ◽  
pp. 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teruaki Enoto ◽  
Makoto Sasano ◽  
Shin'ya Yamada ◽  
Toru Tamagawa ◽  
Kazuo Makishima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Binary System ◽  
X Ray

scholarly journals Early neutron star evolution in high-mass X-ray binaries

2020 ◽  
Vol 494 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wynn C G Ho ◽  
M J P Wijngaarden ◽  
Nils Andersson ◽  
Thomas M Tauris ◽  
F Haberl
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Neutron Star ◽  
Thermal Emission ◽  
Equilibrium Phase ◽  
High Mass ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Spin Period ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
X Ray Binaries ◽  
The Magnetic Field

ABSTRACT The application of standard accretion theory to observations of X-ray binaries provides valuable insights into neutron star (NS) properties, such as their spin period and magnetic field. However, most studies concentrate on relatively old systems, where the NS is in its late propeller, accretor, or nearly spin equilibrium phase. Here, we use an analytic model from standard accretion theory to illustrate the evolution of high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) early in their life. We show that a young NS is unlikely to be an accretor because of the long duration of ejector and propeller phases. We apply the model to the recently discovered ∼4000 yr old HMXB XMMU J051342.6−672412 and find that the system’s NS, with a tentative spin period of 4.4 s, cannot be in the accretor phase and has a magnetic field B > a few × 1013 G, which is comparable to the magnetic field of many older HMXBs and is much higher than the spin equilibrium inferred value of a few × 1011 G. The observed X-ray luminosity could be the result of thermal emission from a young cooling magnetic NS or a small amount of accretion that can occur in the propeller phase.

scholarly journals On the geometry of the X-ray emission from pulsars: the changing aspect of the Be/X-ray pulsar SXP348

2019 ◽  
Vol 486 (3) ◽  
pp. 3248-3258
Author(s):  
R Cappallo ◽  
S G T Laycock ◽  
D M Christodoulou ◽  
M J Coe ◽  
A Zezas
Keyword(s):  
Binary System ◽  
Point Source ◽  
Geometric Model ◽  
Magellanic Cloud ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Small Magellanic Cloud ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Spin Period ◽  
The Past ◽  
Model Fits

ABSTRACT The X-ray source SXP348 is a high-mass X-ray binary system in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Since its 1998 discovery by BeppoSAX, this pulsar has exhibited a spin period of ∼340−350 s. In an effort to determine the orientation and magnetic geometry of this source, we used our geometric model Polestar to fit 71 separate pulse profiles extracted from archival Chandra and XMM-Newton observations over the past two decades. During 2002, pulsations ceased being detectable for nine months despite the source remaining in a bright state. When pulsations resumed, our model fits changed, displaying a change in accretion geometry. Furthermore, in 2006, detectable pulsations again ceased, with 2011 marking the last positive detection of SXP348 as a point source. These profile fits will be released for public use as part of the database of Magellanic Cloud pulsars.

scholarly journals On the origin of Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (S346) ◽  
pp. 193-196
Author(s):  
Swetlana Hubrig ◽  
Lara Sidoli ◽  
Konstantin A. Postnov ◽  
Markus Schöller ◽  
Alexander F. Kholtygin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Neutron Star ◽  
Stellar Wind ◽  
Longitudinal Magnetic Field ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Large Telescope ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Very Large Telescope ◽  
Low X ◽  
X Ray Binaries

Abstract. A fraction of high-mass X-ray binaries are supergiant fast X-ray transients. These systems have on average low X-ray luminosities, but display short flares during which their X-ray luminosity rises by a few orders of magnitude. The leading model for the physics governing this X-ray behaviour suggests that the winds of the donor OB supergiants are magnetized. In agreement with this model, the first spectropolarimetric observations of the SFXT IGR J11215-5952 using the FORS 2 instrument at the Very Large Telescope indicate the presence of a kG longitudinal magnetic field. Based on these results, it seems possible that the key difference between supergiant fast X-ray transients and other high-mass X-ray binaries are the properties of the supergiant’s stellar wind and the physics of the wind’s interaction with the neutron star magnetosphere.

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