LMC X–4: Different Types of Long-Term Variability

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (S339) ◽  
pp. 146-146
Author(s):  
S. Molkov

AbstractThis talk presented a summary of our study of different types of long-term variability in the high-mass X-ray binary LMC X-4, by taking advantage of more than 43 years of measurements in the X-ray domain. In particular, we investigated the 30-day cycle of modulation of the X-ray emission from the source (super-orbital or precessional variability), and refined the orbital period and its first derivative. We showed that the precession period in the time-interval 1991–2015 is near its equilibrium value of Psup = 30.370 days, while the observed historical changes in the phase of this variability can be interpreted in terms of the ‘red noise’ model. We obtained an analytical law from which the precession phase can be determined to within 5% throughout the entire time-interval under consideration. Our analysis revealed for the first time that the source is displaying near-periodic variations of its spin period, on a time-scale of roughly 6.8 years, thus making LMC X-4 one of the (few) known binary systems that show remarkable long-term spin–torque reversals.

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S291) ◽  
pp. 203-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Wang

AbstractThere exists a special class of X-ray pulsars that exhibit very slow pulsation of Pspin > 1000 s in the high mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs). We have studied the temporal and spectral properties of these superslow pulsation neutron star binaries in hard X-ray bands with INTEGRAL observations. Long-term monitoring observations find spin period evolution of two sources: spin-down trend for 4U 2206+54 (Pspin ~ 5560 s with Ṗspin ~ 4.9 × 10−7 s s−1) and long-term spin-up trend for 2S 0114+65 (Pspin ~ 9600 s with Ṗspin ~ −1 × 10−6 s s−1) in the last 20 years. A Be X-ray transient, SXP 1062 (Pspin ~ 1062 s), also showed a fast spin-down rate of Ṗspin ~ 3 × 10−6 s s−1 during an outburst. These superslow pulsation neutron stars cannot be produced in the standard X-ray binary evolution model unless the neutron star has a much stronger surface magnetic field (B > 1014 G). The physical origin of the superslow spin period is still unclear. The possible origin and evolution channels of the superslow pulsation X-ray pulsars are discussed. Superslow pulsation X-ray pulsars could be younger X-ray binary systems, still in the fast evolution phase preceding the final equilibrium state. Alternatively, they could be a new class of neutron star system – accreting magnetars.


2020 ◽  
Vol 495 (1) ◽  
pp. L139-L143
Author(s):  
L J Townsend ◽  
P A Charles

ABSTRACT We present evidence for a simple linear relationship between the orbital period and superorbital period in ultra-luminous X-ray (ULX) pulsars, akin to what is seen in the population of disc-fed neutron star supergiant X-ray binary and Be/X-ray binary systems. We argue that the most likely cause of this relationship is the modulation of precessing hotspots or density waves in an accretion or circumstellar disc by the binary motion of the system, implying a physical link between ULX pulsars and high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) pulsars. This hypothesis is supported by recent studies of Galactic and Magellanic Cloud HMXBs accreting at super-Eddington rates, and the position of ULX pulsars on the spin period–orbital period diagram of HMXBs. An interesting secondary relationship discovered in this work is the apparent connection between disc-fed HMXBs, ULXs, and a seemingly unrelated group of early-type binaries showing so-called double-periodic variability. We suggest that these systems are good candidates to be the direct progenitors of Be/X-ray binaries.


2003 ◽  
Vol 214 ◽  
pp. 215-217
Author(s):  
Q. Z. Liu ◽  
X. D. Li ◽  
D. M. Wei

The relation between the spin period (Ps) and the orbital period (Po) in high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) is investigated. In order for Be/X-ray binaries to locate above the critical line of observable X-ray emission due to accretion, it is necessary for an intermediate orbital eccentricity to be introduced. We suggest that some peculiar systems in the Po − Ps diagram are caused by their peculiar magnetic fields.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Sophia E. Haight ◽  
Chris Pankow ◽  
Vicky Kalogera
Keyword(s):  

1994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Roche ◽  
Malcolm Coe ◽  
Chris Everall ◽  
Juan Fabregat ◽  
Victor Reglero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
X Ray ◽  

2020 ◽  
Vol 494 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wynn C G Ho ◽  
M J P Wijngaarden ◽  
Nils Andersson ◽  
Thomas M Tauris ◽  
F Haberl

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.


2019 ◽  
Vol 486 (3) ◽  
pp. 3248-3258
Author(s):  
R Cappallo ◽  
S G T Laycock ◽  
D M Christodoulou ◽  
M J Coe ◽  
A Zezas

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.


2019 ◽  
Vol 491 (3) ◽  
pp. 3606-3612 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Ponnada ◽  
M Brorby ◽  
P Kaaret

ABSTRACT The heating of the intergalactic medium in the early, metal-poor Universe may have been partly due to radiation from high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs). Previous investigations on the effect of metallicity have used galaxies of different types. To isolate the effects of metallicity on the production of HMXBs, we study a sample consisting only of 46 blue compact dwarf galaxies covering metallicity in the range 12+log(O/H) of 7.15–8.66. To test the hypothesis of metallicity dependence in the X-ray luminosity function (XLF), we fix the XLF form to that found for near-solar metallicity galaxies and use a Bayesian method to constrain the XLF normalization as a function of star formation rate for three different metallicity ranges in our sample. We find an increase by a factor of 4.45 ± 2.04 in the XLF normalization between the metallicity ranges 7.1–7.7 and 8.2–8.66 at a statistical significance of 99.79 per cent. Our results suggest that HMXB production is enhanced at low metallicity, and consequently that HMXBs may have contributed significantly to the reheating of the early Universe.


2020 ◽  
Vol 643 ◽  
pp. A109
Author(s):  
V. Grinberg ◽  
M. A. Nowak ◽  
N. Hell

High mass X-ray binaries hold the promise of allowing us to understand the structure of the winds of their supermassive companion stars by using the emission from the compact object as a backlight to evaluate the variable absorption in the structured stellar wind. The wind along the line of sight can change on timescales as short as minutes and below. However, such short timescales are not available for the direct measurement of absorption through X-ray spectroscopy with the current generation of X-ray telescopes. In this paper, we demonstrate the usability of color–color diagrams for assessing the variable absorption in wind accreting high mass X-ray binary systems. We employ partial covering models to describe the spectral shape of high mass X-ray binaries and assess the implication of different absorbers and their variability on the shape of color–color tracks. We show that in taking into account, the ionization of the absorber, and in particular accounting for the variation of ionization with absorption depth, is crucial to describe the observed behavior well.


2020 ◽  
Vol 638 ◽  
pp. A136
Author(s):  
E. Bertola ◽  
M. Dadina ◽  
M. Cappi ◽  
C. Vignali ◽  
G. Chartas ◽  
...  

Aims. Theoretical models of wind-driven feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGN) often identify ultra-fast outflows as being the main agent in the generation of galaxy-sized outflows, which are possibly the main actors in establishing so-called AGN-galaxy co-evolution. Ultra-fast outflows are well characterized in local AGN but much less is known in quasars at the cosmic time when star formation and AGN activity peaked (z ≃ 1–3). It is therefore necessary to search for evidence of ultra-fast outflows in high-z sources to test wind-driven AGN feedback models. Methods. Here we present a study of Q2237+030, the Einstein Cross, a quadruply-imaged radio-quiet lensed quasar located at z = 1.695. We performed a systematic and comprehensive temporally and spatially resolved X-ray spectral analysis of all the available Chandra and XMM-Newton data (as of September 2019). Results. We find clear evidence for spectral variability, possibly due to absorption column density (or covering fraction) variability intrinsic to the source. For the first time in this quasar, we detect a fast X-ray wind outflowing at vout ≃ 0.1c that would be powerful enough (Ėkin ≃ 0.1 Lbol) to significantly affect the evolution of the host galaxy. We report also on the possible presence of an even faster component of the wind (vout ∼ 0.5c). For the first time in a high-z quasar, given the large sample and long time interval spanned by the analyzed X-ray data, we are able to roughly estimate the wind duty cycle as ≃0.46 (0.31) at 90% (95%) confidence level. Finally, we also confirm the presence of a Fe Kα emission line with variable energy, which we discuss in the light of microlensing effects as well as considering our findings on the source.


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