We present an optical and X-ray study of four Be/X-ray binaries located in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). OGLE I-band data of up to 11 years of semi-continuous monitoring has been analysed for SMC X-2, SXP172 and SXP202B, providing both a measurem
ent of the orbital period (Porb = 18.62, 68.90, and 229.9 days for the pulsars respectively) and a detailed optical orbital profile for each pulsar. For SXP172 this has allowed a direct comparison of the optical and X-ray emission seen through regular RXTE monitoring, revealing that the X-ray outbursts precede the optical by around 7 days. Recent X-ray studies by XMM-Newton have identified a new source in the vicinity of SXP15.3 raising doubt on the identification of the optical counterpart to this X-ray pulsar. Here we present a discussion of the observations that led to the proposal of the original counterpart and a detailed optical analysis of the counterpart to the new X-ray source, identifying a 21.7 d periodicity in the OGLE I-band data. The optical characteristics of this star are consistent with that of a SMC Be/X-ray binary. However, this star was rejected as the counterpart to SXP15.3 in previous studies due to the lack of H{alpha} emission.
We present long-term optical and RXTE data of two X-ray binary pulsars in the Small Magellanic Cloud, SXP46.6 and SXP6.85. The optical light curves of both sources show substantial (~0.5-0.8 mag) changes over the time span of the observations. While
the optical data for SXP6.85 do not reveal any periodic behaviour, by detrending the optical measurements for SXP46.6 we find an orbital period of ~137 days, consistent with results from the X-ray data. The detection of Type I X-ray outbursts from SXP46.6, combined with the fact that we also see optical outbursts at these times, implies that SXP46.6 is a high orbital eccentricity system. Using contemporaneous optical spectra of SXP46.6 we find that the equivalent width of the H_alpha emission line changes over time indicating that the size of the circumstellar disc varies. By studying the history of the colour variations for SXP6.85 we find that the source gets redder as it brightens which can also be attributed to changes in the circumstellar disc. We do not find any correlation between the X-ray and optical data for SXP6.85. The results for SXP6.85 suggest that it is a low eccentricity binary and that the optical modulations are due to the Be phenomenon.
We have detected 523 sources in a survey of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) Wing with Chandra. By cross-correlating the X-ray data with optical and near-infrared catalogues we have found 300 matches. Using a technique that combines X-ray colours and
X-ray to optical flux ratios we have been able to assign preliminary classifications to 265 of the objects. Our identifications include four pulsars, one high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) candidate, 34 stars and 185 active galactic nuclei (AGNs). In addition, we have classified 32 sources as hard AGNs which are likely absorbed by local gas and dust, and nine soft AGNs whose nature is still unclear. Considering the abundance of HMXBs discovered so far in the Bar of the SMC the number that we have detected in the Wing is low.
We investigate the optical counterparts of recently discovered Be/X-ray binaries in the Small Magellanic Cloud. In total four sources, SXP101, SXP700, SXP348 and SXP65.8 were detected during the Chandra Survey of the Wing of the SMC. SXP700 and SXP65
.8 were previously unknown. Many optical ground based telescopes have been utilised in the optical follow-up, providing coverage in both the red and blue bands. This has led to the classification of all of the counterparts as Be stars and confirms that three lie within the Galactic spectral distribution of known Be/X-ray binaries. SXP101 lies outside this distribution becoming the latest spectral type known. Monitoring of the Halpha emission line suggests that all the sources bar SXP700 have highly variable circumstellar disks, possibly a result of their comparatively short orbital periods. Phase resolved X-ray spectroscopy has also been performed on SXP65.8, revealing that the emission is indeed harder during the passage of the X-ray beam through the line of sight.
