scholarly journals ROSAT Observations of B and Be Stars

1994 ◽  
Vol 162 ◽  
pp. 189-199
Author(s):  
Joseph P. Cassinelli ◽  
David H. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Large Fraction ◽  
Emission Measure ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Be Stars ◽  
Hard Component ◽  
B Stars ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Sky Survey ◽  
Wind Theory

We present results from a survey of X-ray emission properties of near main-sequence B stars, including several Be and β Cephei stars. The main conclusions of our survey are: 1) The X-rays are soft, probably because the shock velocity jumps are small since the terminal wind speeds are small. 2) A major fraction of the wind emission measure is hot, assuming wind theory estimates for the density distribution. A large fraction of the wind is not expected to be hot in current wind shock models. 3) A hard component is found to be present in τ Sco; possible causes are discussed. 4) For the Be stars, the X-rays emission is from a normal B-star wind that is coming from the poles as in the WCD model of Be stars. 5) None of the stars, including the β Cep stars, show noticeable variability in their X-rays. For the normal B stars we conclude from the lack of variability that the shocks are in the form of fragments in the wind instead of spherical shells. 6) Our observations suggest that all B stars are X-ray sources and that there is a basal amount of X-ray luminosity of about 10-8.5Lboi. The hot component in τ Sco and the high X-ray luminosity of B stars detected in the all-sky survey suggests that there is a source of X-ray emission in addition to wind shocks in some B stars.

scholarly journals OeBe-stars with possible compact companions observed at X-rays

1995 ◽  
Vol 163 ◽  
pp. 554-558
Author(s):  
E.J.A. Meurs ◽  
A.J.M. Piters
Keyword(s):  
Survey Data ◽  
Detection Rate ◽  
Compact Object ◽  
Detectable Level ◽  
Stellar Winds ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Be Stars ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Level Of Activity ◽  
Sky Survey

A survey of bright O- and B-type stars has been conducted from the ROSAT All Sky Survey data, aiming at the detection of compact companions expected for Oe and Be stars. Concurrent Hα spectroscopy has been used to establish the level of activity of these stars around the time of the X-ray observations. The detection rate of OB and OeBe stars as well as their average X-ray over bolometric luminosities suggest little difference between these two groups of objects. Instead of accretion onto a compact object (NS, WD), the X-ray emission from OeBe stars may be produced by stellar winds as has been proposed for O- and early B-type stars in general. Flexibilities in the available models for X-ray emission from accreting WDs may allow the X-ray emission from such objects to remain below a detectable level. These investigations are now being extended to pointed observations in the ROSAT Archive.

scholarly journals A Search for White Dwarf Companions of Be Stars

1992 ◽  
Vol 151 ◽  
pp. 347-350
Author(s):  
A.J.M. Piters ◽  
E.J.A. Meurs ◽  
J. Coté ◽  
M.H. Van Kerkwijk ◽  
J. Van Paradijs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Dwarf ◽  
Close Binary ◽  
Be Stars ◽  
Infrared Photometry ◽  
B Stars ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Bolometric Luminosity ◽  
Sky Survey ◽  
Multi Wavelength ◽  
Binary Evolution

Preliminary results of an extended multi-wavelength study of bright B- and Be-type stars are presented. This project aims at finding evidence for the existence of white-dwarf companions to Be stars which are predicted as the result of close binary evolution. Comparison of ROSAT all-sky survey data with simultaneous measurements of Hα profiles and infrared photometry suggests that there is no difference in the X-ray behaviour of Be stars with respect to that of normal B stars. The ROSAT X-ray luminosities of B and Be stars range from 10−8 to 10−5 times the bolometric luminosity.

scholarly journals Radio and X-ray connection in radio mini-halos: Implications for hadronic models

2020 ◽  
Vol 640 ◽  
pp. A37 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Ignesti ◽  
G. Brunetti ◽  
M. Gitti ◽  
S. Giacintucci
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Hadronic Model ◽  
Radio Halos

Context. A large fraction of cool-core clusters are known to host diffuse, steep-spectrum radio sources, called radio mini-halos, in their cores. Mini-halos reveal the presence of relativistic particles on scales of hundreds of kiloparsecs, beyond the scales directly influenced by the central active galactic nucleus (AGN), but the nature of the mechanism that produces such a population of radio-emitting, relativistic electrons is still debated. It is also unclear to what extent the AGN plays a role in the formation of mini-halos by providing the seeds of the relativistic population. Aims. In this work we explore the connection between thermal and non-thermal components of the intra-cluster medium in a sample of radio mini-halos and we study the implications within the framework of a hadronic model for the origin of the emitting electrons. Methods. For the first time, we studied the thermal and non-thermal connection by carrying out a point-to-point comparison of the radio and the X-ray surface brightness in a sample of radio mini-halos. We extended the method generally applied to giant radio halos by considering the effects of a grid randomly generated through a Monte Carlo chain. Then we used the radio and X-ray correlation to constrain the physical parameters of a hadronic model and we compared the model predictions with current observations. Results. Contrary to what is generally reported in the literature for giant radio halos, we find that the mini-halos in our sample have super-linear scaling between radio and X-rays, which suggests a peaked distribution of relativistic electrons and magnetic field. We explore the consequences of our findings on models of mini-halos. We use the four mini-halos in the sample that have a roundish brightness distribution to constrain model parameters in the case of a hadronic origin of the mini-halos. Specifically, we focus on a model where cosmic rays are injected by the central AGN and they generate secondaries in the intra-cluster medium, and we assume that the role of turbulent re-acceleration is negligible. This simple model allows us to constrain the AGN cosmic ray luminosity in the range ∼1044−46 erg s−1 and the central magnetic field in the range 10–40 μG. The resulting γ-ray fluxes calculated assuming these model parameters do not violate the upper limits on γ-ray diffuse emission set by the Fermi-LAT telescope. Further studies are now required to explore the consistency of these large magnetic fields with Faraday rotation studies and to study the interplay between the secondary electrons and the intra-cluster medium turbulence.

scholarly journals The Sources of the Hard X-Ray Background

1996 ◽  
Vol 168 ◽  
pp. 263-270
Author(s):  
Giancarlo Setti ◽  
Andrea Comastri
Keyword(s):  
Energy Spectrum ◽  
Energy Density ◽  
Energy Flux ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Power Laws ◽  
Prima Facie ◽  
Folding Energy ◽  
Hard Component ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Background

The hard component (3 keV – ~ MeV) of the X-ray background (XRB) comprises the largest portion, ~ 90%, of the overall XRB intensity. The observed isotropy (the entire Galaxy is transparent above 3 keV) provides aprima facieevidence of its prevailing extragalactic nature. A large fraction (~ 75%) of the energy flux falls in the 3 – 100 keV band, the corresponding energy density being ≃ 5×10−5eV cm−3, of which 50% is confined to the narrower 3 – 20 keV band. Although the energy flux carried by the XRB is relatively small compared to other extragalactic backgrounds, it was soon realized that it cannot be accounted for in terms of sources and processes confined to the present epoch. An analysis of the combined observed spectra (Gruber 1992) concludes that, while a thermal bremsstrahlung with an e-folding energy = 41.13 keV accurately fits the data up to 60 keV, above this energy the sum of two power laws is required with normalizations such that at 60 keV the spectral index is ~ 1.6, gradually flattening to ~ 0.7 at MeV energies. It should also be noted that below 10 keV the XRB energy spectrum is well represented by a power law of index α = 0.4 (I∝E−α).

scholarly journals Absorption and Production of Soft X-Rays in the Galaxy

1973 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 235-249
Author(s):  
S. Hayakawa
Keyword(s):  
Emission Lines ◽  
Interstellar Matter ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Diffuse Component ◽  
Number Density ◽  
High Number Density ◽  
Hard Component ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Cygnus Loop ◽  
The Galaxy

The column densities of interstellar hydrogen to X-ray sources derived from their spectra are compared with those obtained from 21 cm radio observations. Referring to several observed results on Cyg X-2, Cygnus Loop etc., the interpretation of the low energy cut-off of the spectrum in terms of the interstellar absorption is subject to ambiguities due to a modification of the emission spectrum by Compton scattering in the sources and the contribution of emission lines.The result of soft X-ray sky surveys indicates that the diffuse component of soft X-rays consists of the extragalactic and the galactic components. The former has a hard component with a power law spectrum and a soft component which may be represented by an exponential spectrum. The galactic component is so soft that its spectrum may also be explained by thermal bremsstrahlung of temperature of about 0.1 keV. Its generation rate may account for the heating and ionization of interstellar matter. It is suggested that galactic diffuse soft X-rays are produced by active stars of a rather high number density.

scholarly journals Effect of Compact Objects Near Be Stars

1987 ◽  
Vol 92 ◽  
pp. 516-518
Author(s):  
Krishna M.V. Apparao ◽  
S.P. Tarafdar
Keyword(s):  
Black Holes ◽  
Neutron Star ◽  
Rotation Period ◽  
Compact Object ◽  
Compact Objects ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Be Stars ◽  
Eccentric Orbit ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Be Star

Several Be stars are identified with bright X-ray sources. (Rappaport and Van den Heuvel, 1982). The bright X-ray emission and observed periodicities indicate the existence of compact objects (white dwarfs, neutron stars or black holes) near the Be stars. A prime example is the brightest X-ray source A0538-66 in LMC, which contains a neutron star with a rotation period of 59 ms. Apparao (1985) explained the X-ray emission, which occurs in periodic flares, by considering an inclined eccentric orbit for the neutron star around the assumed Be-star. The neutron star when it enters a gas ring (around the Be-star) accreting matter giving out X-rays.The X-ray emission from the compact objects, when the gas ring from the Be-star envelopes the objects, has interesting consequences. The X-ray emission produces an ionized region (compact object Stromgren sphere or COSS) in the gas surrounding the compact object (CO).

scholarly journals Main-sequence broadening, Be stars, and stellar rotation inhand χ Persei

1994 ◽  
Vol 162 ◽  
pp. 151-152
Author(s):  
J. Denoyelle ◽  
C. Aerts ◽  
C. Waelkens
Keyword(s):  
Main Sequence ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Variable Stars ◽  
Theoretical Studies ◽  
Be Stars ◽  
Stellar Rotation ◽  
B Stars ◽  
Fundamental Parameters ◽  
Magnitude Diagram ◽  
Double Cluster

The double cluster h andxPersei is one of the richest clusters containing early-B stars, and therefore is important for observational and theoretical studies on the fundamental parameters of massive stars. The colour-magnitude diagram of the double cluster shows an important scatter (see Figure 1). It has long been known thathandxPersei are extremely rich in Be stars (Slettebak 1968). Our previous contention (Waelkens et al. 1990) that the large-amplitude variable stars we discovered are also Be stars, could be confirmed for a few objects. Rotation velocities for stars inhandxPersei are usually high, which is not surprising in view of the large fraction of Be stars.

scholarly journals Pair Production in AGN

1989 ◽  
Vol 134 ◽  
pp. 194-196
Author(s):  
C. Done ◽  
A. C. Fabian
Keyword(s):  
Pair Production ◽  
Compton Scattering ◽  
Energy Flux ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Small Region ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Electron Positron ◽  
Γ Rays ◽  
Radiant Power

The X-ray luminosity and variability of many AGN are sufficiently extreme that any hard γ-rays produced in the source will collide with the X-rays and create electron-positron pairs, rather than escape. A small region where vast amounts of energy are produced, such as an AGN, is an ideal place to accelerate particles to relativistic energies and so produce γ-rays by Compton scattering. The observed X-ray spectra of AGN are hard and indicate that most of the luminosity is at the highest energies so that absorption of the γ-rays represents a large fraction of the energy flux, which can then be re-radiated at lower energies. Pairs can thus effectively reprocess much of the radiant power in an AGN.

Distribution and Space Density of Soft X-ray Emitting Polars in the Solar Neighbourhood

1997 ◽  
Vol 166 ◽  
pp. 247-250
Author(s):  
H.-C. Thomas ◽  
K. Beuermann
Keyword(s):  
Cataclysmic Variables ◽  
Interstellar Space ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Absorption Column ◽  
Local Bubble ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Sky Survey ◽  
Imaging Telescope ◽  
Lower Limits ◽  
Typical Temperature

The ROSAT All Sky Survey (RASS) was the first one performed with an imaging telescope in the soft X-ray regime and has led to the discovery of numerous new objects whose emission is dominated by soft X-rays. Among these are white dwarfs and a subclass of the cataclysmic variables (CVs), the Polars or AM Herculis binaries. From a pre-ROSAT census of only 17, the number of known sources of this class has increased to some 55 (Beuermann and Thomas 1993, Beuermann 1997). Distances or lower limits to the distance are available for some 35 of these, based on the detection or non-detection of the TiO-Features in their optical red spectra. The derived distances range from below 100 pc up to ~ 600 pc, implying that many of these objects are located within the “Local Bubble” of low gas density in interstellar space. As the soft X-ray emission can be reasonably well represented by blackbody emission with a typical temperature of kTbb ≃ 25 eV, spectral fits to the ROSAT PSPC spectra from either the All-Sky-Survey (RASS) or from subsequent pointed ROSAT observations allow to determine the foreground absorption column density in the direction of the polars.

scholarly journals Projection effects in galaxy cluster samples: insights from X-ray redshifts

2019 ◽  
Vol 626 ◽  
pp. A48 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. Ramos-Ceja ◽  
F. Pacaud ◽  
T. H. Reiprich ◽  
K. Migkas ◽  
L. Lovisari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Information ◽  
Galaxy Cluster ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Cluster Sample ◽  
Global Cluster ◽  
Sky Survey ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Flux Measurements ◽  
Cluster Properties

Presently, the largest sample of galaxy clusters selected in X-rays comes from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS). Although there have been many interesting clusters discovered with the RASS data, the broad point spread function of the ROSAT satellite limits the attainable amount of spatial information for the detected objects. This leads to the discovery of new cluster features when a re-observation is performed with higher-resolution X-ray satellites. Here we present the results from XMM-Newton observations of three clusters: RXC J2306.6−1319, ZwCl 1665, and RXC J0034.6−0208, for which the observations reveal a double or triple system of extended components. These clusters belong to the extremely expanded HIghest X-ray FLUx Galaxy Cluster Sample (eeHIFLUGCS), which is a flux-limited cluster sample (fX, 500 ≥ 5 × 10−12 erg s−1 cm−2 in the 0.1−2.4 keV energy band). For each structure in each cluster, we determine the redshift with the X-ray spectrum and find that the components are not part of the same cluster. This is confirmed by an optical spectroscopic analysis of the galaxy members. Therefore, the total number of clusters is actually seven, rather than three. We derive global cluster properties of each extended component. We compare the measured properties to lower-redshift group samples, and find a good agreement. Our flux measurements reveal that only one component of the ZwCl 1665 cluster has a flux above the eeHIFLUGCS limit, while the other clusters will no longer be part of the sample. These examples demonstrate that cluster–cluster projections can bias X-ray cluster catalogues and that with high-resolution X-ray follow-up this bias can be corrected.

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