SSS in young stellar populations and the "prompt" component of Type Ia supernovae

Abstract

We present the results of a search for UV and optical counterparts of the SSS population in M31. We find that out of the 56 sources we included in our search, 16 are associated with regions of ongoing or recent star formation. We discuss two particularly interesting sources that are identified optically as early type stars, one of which displayed long term X-ray evolution similar to that observed in classical novae. We discuss the physical origin of supersoft X-rays in these and the other SSS in young regions, and their possible link to the so-called "prompt" component of the Type Ia supernova population.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures; Proceedings of workshop "Supersoft X-ray Sources - New Developments", ESAC, May 2009; accepted for publication in Astronomische Nachrichte