244 research outputs found
ASCA Observations of Two Ultra-Luminous Compact X-Ray Sources in the Edge-on Spiral Galaxy NGC 4565
The edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4565 was observed for 35 ks with ASCA in
the 0.5-10 keV energy band. The X-ray emission was dominated by two bright
sources, which can be identified with two point-like X-ray sources seen in the
ROSAT HRI image. The observed 0.5-10 keV fluxes of these sources, and , % % imply bolometric
luminosities of and ,
respectively. They exhibit similar spectra, which can be explained by emission
from optically thick accretion disks with the inner disk temperature of 1.4-1.6
keV. One of them, coincident in position with the nucleus, shows too low
absorption to be the active nucleus seen through the galaxy disk. Their spectra
and high luminosities suggest that they are both mass accreting black hole
binaries. However the black-hole mass required by the Eddington limit is rather
high (), and the observed disk temperature is too high to be
compatible with the high black-hole mass. Several attempts are made to solve
these problesms.Comment: 20page
Suzaku View of the Neutron Star in the Dipping Source 4U 182237
The dipping X-ray source 4U 182237 was observed by Suzaku on 2006 Octrober
20 for a net exposure of 37 ks. The source was detected with the XIS at a 1-10
keV flux of 5.5 erg cm s, and with the HXD
(HXD-PIN) at a 10-50 keV flux of 8.9 erg cm s.
With HXD-PIN, the pulsation was detected at a barycentric period of 0.592437 s,
and its change rate was reconfirmed as 10 s s. The
1-50 keV spectra of 4U 1822-37 were found to be very similar to those of Her
X-1 in the slopes, cutoff and iron lines. Three iron lines (Fe K, Fe
XXV, and Fe XXVI) were detected, on top of a 1-50 keV continuum that is
described by an NPEX model plus a soft blackbody. In addition, a cyclotron
resonance scattering feature was detected significantly ( confidence),
at an energy of 332 keV with a depth of 0.4. Therefore,
the neutron star in this source is concluded to have a strong magnetic field of
2.8 G. Further assuming that the source has a relatively high
intrinsic luminosity of several times 10 erg s, its spectral and
timing properties are consistently explained
Spectral and Timing Nature of the Symbiotic X-ray Binary 4U 1954+319: The Slowest Rotating Neutron Star in an X-ray Binary System
The symbiotic X-ray binary 4U 1954+319 is a rare system hosting a peculiar
neutron star (NS) and an M-type optical companion. Its ~5.4h NS spin period is
the longest among all known accretion-powered pulsars and exhibited large (~7%)
fluctuations over 8 years. A spin trend transition was detected with Swift/BAT
around an X-ray brightening in 2012. The source was in quiescent and bright
states before and after this outburst based on 60 ks Suzaku observations in
2011 and 2012. The observed continuum is well described by a Comptonized model
with the addition of a narrow 6.4 keV Fe Kalpha line during the outburst.
Spectral similarities to slowly rotating pulsars in high-mass X-ray binaries,
its high pulsed fraction (~60-80%), and the location in the Corbet diagram
favor high B-field (>~1e+12 G) over a weak field as in low-mass X-ray binaries.
The observed low X-ray luminosity (1e+33-1e+35 erg/s), probable wide orbit, and
a slow stellar wind of this SyXB make quasi-spherical accretion in the subsonic
settling regime a plausible model. Assuming a ~1e+13 G NS, this scheme can
explain the ~5.4 h equilibrium rotation without employing the magnetar-like
field (~1e+16 G) required in the disk accretion case. The time-scales of
multiple irregular flares (~50 s) can also be attributed to the free-fall time
from the Alfven shell for a ~1e+13 G field. A physical interpretation of SyXBs
beyond the canonical binary classifications is discussed.Comment: 20 pages, 18 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journa
The Declined Activity in the Nucleus of NGC 1316
NGC 1316 (Fornax A) is a radio galaxy with prototypical double lobes, where
the magnetic field intensity is accurately measured via the inverse-Compton
technique. The radio-emitting electrons in the lobes are inferred to have a
synchrotron life time of 0.1 Gyr. Considering the lobe energetics, we estimate
the past nuclear X-ray luminosity of NGC 1316 to be at least 4 times 10^{34} W
(4 times 10^{41} erg s^{-1}). Thus, the nucleus was rather active at least 0.1
Gyr ago. In contrast, we confirmed with ASCA and ROSAT that the nucleus of NGC
1316 is very faint in X-rays at present, with the 2--10 keV luminosity of any
AGN-like hard component being < 2 times 10^{33} W (2 times 10^{40} erg s^{-1})
even assuming a nuclear obscuration up to 10^{28} m^{-2} (10^{24} cm^{-2}).
This is at least an order of magnitude lower than the estimated past activity,
indicating that the nucleus is presently very inactive. From these two results,
we conclude that the nucleus of NGC 1316 has become dormant during the last 0.1
Gyr. This suggests the possible abundance of ``dormant'' quasars in nearby
galaxies.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, to be published in the Astrophysical Journal
Letter
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