Constraining the Accretion Geometry of the Intermediate Polar EX Hya Using NuSTAR, Swift, and Chandra Observations

In magnetically accreting white dwarfs, the height above the white dwarf surface where the standing shock is formed is intimately related with the accretion rate and the white dwarf mass. However, it is difficult to measure. We obtained new data with NuSTAR and Swift that, together with archival Chandra data, allow us to constrain the height of the shock in the intermediate polar EX Hya. We conclude that the shock has to form at least at a distance of about one white dwarf radius from the surface in order to explain the weak Fe Kα 6.4 keV line, the absence of a reflection hump in the high-energy continuum, and the energy dependence of the white dwarf spin pulsed fraction. Additionally, the NuSTAR data allowed us to measure the true, uncontaminated hard X-ray (12-40 keV) flux, whose measurement was contaminated by the nearby galaxy cluster Abell 3528 in non-imaging X-ray instruments.Fil: Luna, Gerardo Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Mukai, K.. National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Estados UnidosFil: Orio, M.. Università di Padova; ItaliaFil: Zemko, P.. Università di Padova; Itali

Detection of X-rays from the jet-driving symbiotic star Hen 3-1341

Context. Hen 3-1341 is a symbiotic binary system consisting of a white dwarf and a red giant star that is one of about ten symbiotics that show hints of jets. The bipolar jets have been detected through displaced components of emission lines during its outburst from 1998 to 2004. These components disappeared when Hen 3-1341 reached quiescence. On February 23, 2012, Hen 3-1341 started a new outburst with the emergence of new bipolar jets on March 3, 2012. Aims: We observed Hen 3-1341 during quiescence with XMM-Newton in March 2010 with an effective exposure time of 46.8 ks and with Swift on March 8-11, 2012 as ToO observations with an effective exposure time of 10 ks in order to probe the interaction of the jet with the ambient medium and also the accretion onto the white dwarf. Methods: We fitted the XMM-Newton X-ray spectra with XSPEC and examined the X-ray and UV light curves. Results: We report the detection of X-ray emission during quiescence from Hen 3-1341 with XMM-Newton. The spectrum can be fitted with an absorbed one-temperature plasma or an absorbed blackbody. We did not detect Hen 3-1341 during our short Swift exposure. Neither periodic or aperiodic X-ray nor UV variability were found. Conclusions: Our XMM-Newton data suggest that interaction of the residual jet with the interstellar medium might survive for a long time after outbursts and might be responsible for the observed X-ray emission during quiescence. Additional data are strongly needed to confirm these suggestions.Fil: Stute, M. Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen. Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics; Alemania;Fil: Luna, Gerardo Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio(i); Argentina; Harvard-Smithsonian Center For Astrophysics; Estados Unidos de América;Fil: Pillitteri, I.F.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio(i); Argentina; Harvard-Smithsonian Center For Astrophysics; Estados Unidos de América;Fil: Sokoloski, J.L.. Columbia University. Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory; Estados Unidos de América

Discovery of a Hot Symbiotic Star in the Cold Antarctic Sky: Symbiotics Are Outliers in SkyMapper uvgriz Photometry

Using near-ultraviolet flux excess and variability from the SkyMapper Southern Sky Survey11 as novel diagnostics to search for symbiotic stars?cool giants accreting onto compact objects, typically white dwarfs (WDs), we report that Hen 3-1768 (≡ASAS J195948?8252.7) is a symbiotic star. It may be an optimal target for continuous monitoring by Antarctic telescopes; at a decl. of −82877, it is now the closest known symbiotic to either geographic pole, and the only known symbiotic more southern than the Small Magellanic Cloud (Belczyński et al. 2000; Akras et al. 2019, ApJS, in press). Figure 1 shows that Hen 3-1768 produced unambiguous emission from Raman O vi 6830,7088 Å, He ii 4686 Å, and other transitions, proving that it is a symbiotic star (e.g., Shore et al. 2014). Comparing to Pickles (1998) template spectra, we preliminarily constrained the giant donor´s spectral type to between K4 and K7, making Hen 3-1768 one of the dozen or so yellow symbiotics with stellar-type infrared (IR) colors currently known (e.g., Baella et al. 2016). The 2MASS IR colors (J − H)0 = 0.82 and (H − Ks)0 = 0.21 (Skrutskie et al. 2006; de-reddened by total Galactic extinction12 ) are consistent with this conclusion (see Figure 1 in Baella et al. 2016).Fil: Lucy, Adrian B.. Columbia University; Estados UnidosFil: Sokoloski, J. L.. Columbia University; Estados UnidosFil: Nuñez, Natalia Edith. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Instituto de Ciencias Astronómicas, de la Tierra y del Espacio. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Instituto de Ciencias Astronómicas, de la Tierra y del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Wolf, C.. Research School Of Astronomy And Astrophysics, Anu; AustraliaFil: Bohlsen, T.. Mirranook Observatory,; AustraliaFil: Luna, Gerardo Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; Argentin

Accretion disks in symbiotic stars

En general, el mecanismo de acreción en sistemas simbióticos, donde una gigante roja transfiere materia a su compañera enana blanca, es difícil de observar y existen más posibilidades de hacerlo en aquellos sistemas donde no hay quema nuclear cuasiestable de material en la superficie de la enana blanca. Utilizando datos en altas energías, que permiten observar las regiones más internas del proceso de acreción, hemos estudiado dos eventos sin precedentes en dos sistemas simbióticos, RT Cru y T CrB, con masas de objeto compacto similares, pero con diferentes períodos orbitales lo que implica diferentes mecanismos de acreción. Durante los últimos 20 años, se observaron dos aumentos de brillo en el óptico en RT Cru, separados por aproximadamente 4000 días y con una amplitud de ΔV~1.5 mag. Aunque similar a erupciones tipo dwarf-nova, el comportamiento en rayos X duros no se condice con lo observado en prototipos de la clase dwarf-novae. Alternativamente, estos eventos podrían explicarse si la tasa de acreción aumenta a medida que la enana blanca orbita dentro del viento de la gigante roja, con un período orbital de ~4000 días. En T CrB hemos observado un incremento en la tasa de acreción, el cual ha cambiado dramáticamente la estructura de la parte más interna del disco. Datos en óptico, UV y rayos X sugieren que el aumento de brillo en óptico que se registró en 2014 junto con la abrupta disminución del brillo en rayos X duros y la aparición de una componente soft en rayos X, indican que este evento, debido a una inestabilidad en el disco de acreción, podría ser similar a otro evento observado 8 años antes de la explosión termonuclear de 1946.The nature of accretion in symbiotic binaries, in which the red giant transfers material to a white dwarf (WD) companion, has been difficult to uncover. The accretion flows in a symbiotic binary are most clearly observable, however, when there is no quasi-steady shell burning on the WD to hide them. Through observations in the high energy regime, which provide a view of the innermost accretion structures, we have studied two unprecedented events in two systems, RT Cru and T CrB, which host similar massive white dwarf but have very different orbital periods with correspondingly different accretion mechanism. In the past 20 years, RT Cru has experienced two similar optical brightening events, separated by -^>1000 days and with amplitudes of ΔV~1.5 mag, reminiscent of dwarf-novae-type outbursts, but the hard X-ray behavior does not correspond to that observed in well-known dwarf nova. An alternative explanation for the brightening events could be that they are due to an enhancement of the accretion rate as the WD travels through the red giant wind in a wide orbit, with a period of about ~ 1000 days. We have witnessed a change in the accretion rate for the first time in the symbiotic recurrent nova T CrB. Optical, UV and high energy data indicate that during an optical brightening event that started in early 2014 (AV^l.5), the hard X-ray emission has almost vanished and the X-ray spectrum became much softer and a bright, new, blackbody-like component appeared. We suggest that the optical brightening event, that could be a similar event to that observed about 8 years before the most recent thermonuclear outburst in 1946 is due to a disk instability.Asociación Argentina de Astronomí

X-Ray Variability in the Symbiotic Binary RT Cru: Principal Component Analysis

Hard X-ray-emitting (δ-type) symbiotic binaries, which exhibit a strong hard X-ray excess, have posed a challenge to our understanding of accretion physics in degenerate dwarfs. RT Cru, which is a member of the δ-type symbiotics, shows stochastic X-ray variability. Timing analyses of X-ray observations from XMM-Newton and NuSTAR, which we consider here, indicate hourly fluctuations, in addition to a spectral transition from 2007 to a harder state in 2012 seen with Suzaku observations. To trace the nature of X-ray variability, we analyze the multimission X-ray data using principal component analysis (PCA), which determines the spectral components that contribute most to the flickering behavior and the hardness transition. The Chandra HRC-S/LETG and XMM-Newton EPIC-pn data provide the primary PCA components, which may contain some variable emission features, especially in the soft excess. Additionally, the absorbing column (first order with 50%), along with the source continuum (20%), and a third component (9%)—which likely accounts for thermal emission in the soft band—are the three principal components found in the Suzaku XIS1 observations. The PCA components of the NuSTAR data also correspond to the continuum and possibly emission features. Our findings suggest that the spectral hardness transition between the two Suzaku observations is mainly due to changes in the absorbing material and X-ray continuum, while some changes in the thermal plasma emission may result in flickering-type variations.Fil: Danehkar, A.. No especifíca;Fil: Drake, J. J.. No especifíca;Fil: Luna, Gerardo Juan Manuel. Secretaria de Investigacion ; Universidad Nacional de Hurlingham; . Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Thomson scattering and collisional ionization in the X-ray grating spectra of the recurrent nova U Scorpii

We present a Chandra observation of the recurrent nova U Scorpii, done with the High Resolution camera-S (HRC-S) detector and the Low Energy Transmission Grating (LETG) on day 18 after the observed visual maximum of 2010, and compare it with XMM?Newton observations obtained on days 23 and 35 after maximum. The total absorbed flux was in the range 2.2?2.6 × 10−11 erg cm−2 s−1, corresponding to unabsorbed luminosity 7?8.5 × 1036 ×(d/12 kpc)2 for N(H) = 2?2.7 × 1021 cm−2. On day 18, 70 per cent of the soft X-tray flux was in a continuum typical of a very hot white dwarf (WD) atmosphere, which accounted for about 80 per cent of the flux on days 23 and 35. In addition, all spectra display very broad emission lines, due to higher ionization stages at later times. With Chandra we observed apparent P Cygni profiles. We find that these peculiar profiles are not due to blueshifted absorption and redshifted emission in photoionized ejecta, like the optical P Cyg of novae, but they are rather a superposition of WD atmospheric absorption features reflected by the already discovered Thomson scattering corona, and emission lines due to collisional ionization in condensations in the ejecta. On days 23 and 35, the absorption components were no longer measurable, having lost the initial large blueshift that displaced them from the core of the broad emission lines. We interpret this as an indication that mass-loss ceased between day 18 and day 23. On day 35, the emission line spectrum became very complex, with several different components. Model atmospheres indicate that the WD atmospheric temperature was about 730 000 K on day 18 and reached 900 000?1000 000 K on day 35. This peak temperature is consistent with a WD mass of at least 1.3 M⊙.Fil: Orio, M.. INAF Osservatorio di Padova; Italia. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Behar, E.. Department of Physics, Technion; IsraelFil: Gallagher, J.. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Bianchini, A.. Universita Di Padova; ItaliaFil: Chiosi, E.. INAF Osservatorio di Padova; ItaliaFil: Luna, Gerardo Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Nelson, T.. University Of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Rauch, T.. Eberhard Karls University; AlemaniaFil: Schaefer, B. E.. State University Of Louisiana; Estados UnidosFil: Tofflemire, B.. University of Wisconsin; Estados Unido

On the nature of CP Pup

We present new X-ray and optical spectra of the old nova CP Pup (nova Pup 1942) obtained with Chandra and the Cerro Tololo Inter American Observatory (CTIO) 4 m telescope. The X-ray spectrum reveals a multitemperature optically thin plasma reaching a maximum temperature of 36^{+19}_{-16} keV absorbed by local complex neutral material. The time-resolved optical spectroscopy confirms the presence of the ?1.47 h period, with cycle-to-cycle amplitude changes, as well as of an additional long-term modulation which is suggestive either of a longer period or of non-Keplerian velocities in the emission line regions. These new observational facts add further support to CP Pup as a magnetic cataclysmic variable (mCV). We compare the mCV and the non-mCV scenarios and, while we cannot conclude whether CP Pup is a long-period system, all pieces of observational evidence point at an intermediate polar-type CV.Fil: Mason, E.. Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste; Italia; Space Telescope Science Institute, Estados Unidos de América;Fil: Orio, M.. Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova; Italia;Fil: Mukai, K.. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; Estados Unidos de América;Fil: Bianchini, A.. Dipartimento di Astronomia; Italia;Fil: de Martino, D.. Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Italia;Fil: Di Mille, F.. Australian Astronomical Observatory-Carnegie Observatories, Colina; Chile; Dipartimento di Astronomia; Italia;Fil: Williams, R. E.. Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin, Estados Unidos de América;Fil: Abbot, T..Fil: de Propris, R..Fil: Luna, Gerardo Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa, Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio (i)

Expanding Bipolar X-Ray Structure after the 2006 Eruption of RS Oph

We report on the detection and analysis of extended X-ray emission by the Chandra X-ray Observatory stemming from the 2006 eruption of the recurrent nova RS Oph. The extended emission was detected 1254 and 1927 days after the start of the 2006 eruption and is consistent with a bipolar flow oriented in the East-West direction of the sky with opening angles of approximately 70°. The length of both lobes appeared to expand from 1.″3 in 2009 to 2.″0 in 2011, suggesting a projected expansion rate of 1.1 ± 0.1 mas day-1 and an expansion velocity of 4600 km s-1 (D/2.4 kpc) in the plane of the sky. This expansion rate is consistent with previous estimates from optical and radio observations of material in a similar orientation. The X-ray emission does not show any evidence of cooling between 2009 and 2011, consistent with free expansion of the material. This discovery suggests that some mechanism collimates ejecta away from the equatorial plane, and that after that material passes through the red giant wind, it expands freely into the cavity left by the 1985 eruption. We expect similar structures to arise from the latest eruption and to expand into the cavity shaped by the 2006 eruption.Fil: Montez, R.. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; Estados UnidosFil: Luna, Gerardo Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Mukai, K.. No especifíca;Fil: Sokoloski, J. L.. Columbia University; Estados UnidosFil: Kastner, J. H.. Rochester Institute Of Technology (rit)