Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userThe Rich Mid-Infrared Environments of Two Highly-Obscured X-ray Binaries: Spitzer Observations of IGR J16318-4848 and GX 301-2
129
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
We present the results of Spitzer mid-infrared spectroscopic observations of two highly-obscured massive X-ray binaries: IGR J16318-4848 and GX301-2. Our observations reveal for the first time the extremely rich mid-infrared environments of this type of source, including multiple continuum emission components (a hot component with T > 700 K and a warm component with T ~ 180 K) with apparent silicate absorption features, numerous HI recombination lines, many forbidden ionic lines of low ionization potentials, and pure rotational H2 lines. This indicates that both sources have hot and warm circumstellar dust, ionized stellar winds, extended low-density ionized regions, and photo-dissociated regions. It appears difficult to attribute the total optical extinction of both sources to the hot and warm dust components, which suggests that there could be an otherwise observable colder dust component responsible for the most of the optical extinction and silicate absorption features. The observed mid-infrared spectra are similar to those from Luminous Blue Variables, indicating that the highly-obscured massive X-ray binaries may represent a previously unknown evolutionary phase of X-ray binaries with early-type optical companions. Our results highlight the importance and utility of mid-infrared spectroscopy to investigate highly-obscured X-ray binaries.
rate research
Read More
A new class of X-ray binaries has been recently discovered by the high energy observatory, INTEGRAL. It is composed of intrinsically obscured supergiant high mass X-ray binaries, unveiled by means of multi-wavelength X-ray, optical, near- and mid-infrared observations, in particular photometric and spectroscopic observations using ESO facilities. However the fundamental questions about these intriguing sources, namely their formation, evolution, and the nature of their environment, are still unsolved. Among them, IGR J16318-4848 - a compact object orbiting around a supergiant B[e] star - seems to be one of the most extraordinary celestial sources of our Galaxy. We present here new ESO/VLT VISIR mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopic observations of this source. First, line diagnostics allow us to confirm the presence of absorbing material (dust and cold gas) enshrouding the whole binary system, and to characterise the nature of this material. Second, by fitting broadband near to mid-infrared Spectral Energy Distribution - including ESO NTT/SofI, VLT/VISIR and Spitzer data - with a phenomenological model for sgB[e] stars, we show that the star is surrounded by an irradiated rim heated to a temperature of 3800-5500 K, along with a viscous disk component at an inner temperature of 750 K. VISIR data allow us to exclude the spherical geometry for the dust component. This detailed study will allow us in the future to get better constraints on the formation and evolution of such rare and short-living high mass X-ray binary systems in our Galaxy.
We report a Hitomi observation of IGR J16318-4848, a high-mass X-ray binary system with an extremely strong absorption of N_H~10^{24} cm^{-2}. Previous X-ray studies revealed that its spectrum is dominated by strong fluorescence lines of Fe as well as continuum emission. For physical and geometrical insight into the nature of the reprocessing material, we utilize the high spectroscopic resolving power of the X-ray microcalorimeter (the soft X-ray spectrometer; SXS) and the wide-band sensitivity by the soft and hard X-ray imager (SXI and HXI) aboard Hitomi. Even though photon counts are limited due to unintended off-axis pointing, the SXS spectrum resolves Fe K{alpha_1} and K{alpha_2} lines and puts strong constraints on the line centroid and width. The line width corresponds to the velocity of 160^{+300}_{-70} km s^{-1}. This represents the most accurate, and smallest, width measurement of this line made so far from any X-ray binary, much less than the Doppler broadening and shift expected from speeds which are characteristic of similar systems. Combined with the K-shell edge energy measured by the SXI and HXI spectra, the ionization state of Fe is estimated to be in the range of Fe I--IV. Considering the estimated ionization parameter and the distance between the X-ray source and the absorber, the density and thickness of the materials are estimated. The extraordinarily strong absorption and the absence of a Compton shoulder component is confirmed. These characteristics suggest reprocessing materials which are distributed in a narrow solid angle or scattering primarily with warm free electrons or neutral hydrogen.
INTEGRAL regularly scans the Galactic plane to search for new objects and in particular for absorbed sources with the bulk of their emission above 10-20 keV. The first new INTEGRAL source was discovered on 2003 January 29, 0.5 degree from the Galactic plane and was further observed in the X-rays with XMM-Newton. This source, IGR J16318-4848, is intrinsically strongly absorbed by cold matter and displays exceptionally strong fluorescence emission lines. The likely infrared/optical counterpart indicates that IGR J16318-4848 is probably a High Mass X-Ray Binary neutron star or black hole enshrouded in a Compton thick environment. Strongly absorbed sources, not detected in previous surveys, could contribute significantly to the Galactic hard X-ray background between 10 and 200 keV.
We aim at characterising the structure of the gas and dust around the high mass X-ray binary GX 301-2, a highly obscured X-ray binary hosting a hypergiant star and a neutron star, in order to better constrain its evolution. We used Herschel PACS to observe GX 301-2 in the far infrared and completed the spectral energy distribution of the source using published data or catalogs, from the optical to the radio range (0.4 to 4x10^4 micrometer). GX 301-2 is detected for the first time at 70 and 100 micrometer. We fitted different models of circumstellar environments to the data. All tested models are statistically acceptable, and consistent with a hypergiant star at ~3 kpc. We found that the addition of a free-free emission component from the strong stellar wind is required and could dominate the far infrared flux. Through comparisons with similar systems and discussion on the estimated model parameters, we favour a disk-like circumstellar environment of ~8 AU that would enshroud the binary system. The temperature goes down to ~200 K at the edge of the disk, allowing for dust formation. This disk is probably a rimmed viscous disk with an inner rim at the temperature of the dust sublimation temperature (~1500 K). The similarities between the hypergiant GX 301-2, B[e] supergiants and the highly obscured X-ray binaries (in particular IGR J16318-4848) are strengthened. GX 301-2 might represent a transition stage in the evolution of massive stars in binary systems, connecting supergiant B[e] systems to luminous blue variables.
In 1993-1994 a series of observations of the X-ray pulsar GX 301-2 by HEXE onboard Mir-Kvant was made. A period of pulsations was measured (it varied between 675 and 678 s) and pulse profiles in different energy bands were produced. The measured luminosity in the 20-100 keV energy range changed substantially between 8x10^34 and 7x10^35 d^2 erg/s (d is the distance to the source in kpc). The obtained spectrum is quite satisfactory described by the canonical model for X-ray pulsars with gamma=1.3, E_c~23 keV, E_f~9 keV. It changed weakly between the observations, but was softest at brightness maximum. Significant variations of the spectral hardness over the pulse phase were detected, but the accumulated data are insufficient to quantify variations in spectral parameters. No significant traces of cyclotron lines were found. An interpretation of the pulse profiles as superposition of emissions from two flat polar caps (with inclusion of gravitational lensing) leads to an estimate of the angle between the magnetic axis and axis of rotation of 40-70 deg and an angle between the direction to the observer and the rotation axis of 75-85 deg.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
