DETECTION OF THE SECOND ECLIPSING HIGH-MASS X-RAY BINARY IN M 33

作者:Pietsch Wolfgang*; Haberl Frank; Gaetz Terrance J; Hartman Joel D; Plucinsky Paul P; Tuellmann Ralph; Williams Benjamin F; Shporer Avi; Mazeh Tsevi; Pannuti Thomas G
来源:Astrophysical Journal, 2009, 694(1): 449-458.
DOI:10.1088/0004-637X/694/1/449

摘要

Chandra data of the X-ray source [PMH2004] 47 were obtained in the ACIS Survey of M 33 (ChASeM33) in 2006. During one of the observations, the source varied from a high state to a low state and back, in two other observations it varied from a low state to respectively intermediate states. These transitions are interpreted as eclipse ingresses and egresses of a compact object in a high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) system. The phase of mideclipse is given by HJD 245 3997.476 /- 0.006, the eclipse half angle is 30 degrees.6 /- 1 degrees.2. Adding XMM-Newton observations of [PMH2004] 47 in 2001 we determine the binary period to be 1.732479 /- 0.000027 days. This period is also consistent with ROSAT HRI observations of the source in 1994. No short-term periodicity compatible with a rotation period of the compact object is detected. There are indications for a long-term variability similar to that detected for Her X-1. During the high state the spectrum of the source is hard (power-law spectrum with photon index similar to 0.85) with an unabsorbed luminosity of 2 x 10(37) erg s(-1) (0.2-4.5 keV). We identify as an optical counterpart a V similar to 21.0 mag star with T(eff) > 19000 K, log(g) > 2.5. The Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope optical light curves for this star show an ellipsoidal variation with the same period as the X-ray light curve. The optical light curve together with the X-ray eclipse can be modeled by a compact object with a mass consistent with a neutron star or a black hole in an HMXB. However, the hard power-law X-ray spectrum favors a neutron star as the compact object in this second eclipsing X-ray binary in M 33. Assuming a neutron star with a canonical mass of 1.4 M(circle dot) and the best-fit companion temperature of 33,000 K, a system inclination i = 72 degrees and a companion mass of 10.9 M(circle dot) are implied.

  • 出版日期2009-3-20