We present a new dynamical study of the black hole X-ray transient GRS1915+105 making use of near-infrared spectroscopy obtained with X-shooter at the Very Large Telescope. We detect a large number ...of donor star absorption features across a wide range of wavelengths spanning the H and K bands. Our 24 epochs covering a baseline of over 1 yr permit us to determine a new binary ephemeris including a refined orbital period of P = 33.85 + or - 0.16 days. The donor star radial velocity curves deliver a significantly improved determination of the donor semi-amplitude which is both accurate (K sub(2) = 126 + or - 1 km s super(-1)) and robust against choice of donor star template and spectral features used. We furthermore constrain the donor star's rotational broadening to v sin i = 21 + or - 4 km s super(-1), delivering a binary mass ratio of q = 0.042 + or - 0.024. If we combine these new constraints with distance and inclination estimates derived from modeling the radio emission, a black hole mass of M sub(BH) = 10.1 + or - 0.6 M sub(+ or -) is inferred, paired with an evolved mass donor of M sub(2) = 0.47 + or - 0.27 M sub(middot in circle). Our analysis suggests a more typical black hole mass for GRS 1915+105 rather than the unusually high values derived in the pioneering dynamical study by Greiner et al. Our data demonstrate that high-resolution infrared spectroscopy of obscured accreting binaries can deliver dynamical mass determinations with a precision on par with optical studies.
ABSTRACT Asteroid (3200) Phaethon is a Near-Earth Apollo asteroid with an unusual orbit that brings it closer to the Sun than any other known asteroid. Its last close approach to the Earth was in ...2017 mid-December and the next one will be on 2026 October. Previous rotationally time-resolved spectroscopy of Phaethon showed that its spectral slope is slightly bluish, in agreement with its B/F taxonomic classification, but at some rotational phases, it changes to slightly reddish. Motivated by this result, we performed time-resolved imaging polarimetry of Phaethon during its recent close approach to the Earth. Phaethon has a spin period of 3.604 h, and we found a variation of the linear polarization with rotation. This seems to be a rare case in which such variation is unambiguously found, also a consequence of its fairly large amplitude. Combining this new information with the brightness and colour variation as well as previously reported results from Arecibo radar observations, we conclude that there is no variation of the mineralogy across the surface of Phaeton. However, the observed change in the linear polarization may be related to differences in the thickness of the surface regolith in different areas or local topographic features.
Context.
Amongst the hydrogen-deficient accreting binaries known as the AM CVn stars are three systems with the shortest known orbital periods: HM Cnc (321 s), V407 Vul (569 s), and ES Cet (620 s). ...These compact binaries are predicted to be strong sources of persistent gravitational wave radiation. HM Cnc and V407 Vul are undergoing direct impact accretion in which matter transferred from their donor hits the accreting white dwarfs directly. ES Cet has the longest period of the three and is amongst the most luminous AM CVn stars, but it is not known whether it accretes via a disc or direct impact. ES Cet displays strong HeII 4686 line emission, which is sometimes a sign of magnetically controlled accretion. Peculiarly, although around one third of hydrogen accreting white dwarfs show evidence of magnetism, none have been found amongst helium accretors.
Aims.
We present the results of
Magellan
and VLT spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric observing campaigns dedicated to ES Cet with the aim of understanding its accretion structure.
Methods.
Based on the data collected, we derived trailed spectra, computed Doppler maps of the emission lines, and looked for circular polarisation and variability.
Results.
We find strong variability in our spectra on the 620 s period. The lines show evidence of double-peaked emission, characteristic of an accretion disc, with an additional component associated with the outermost disc, rather than a direct impact, which is broadly consistent with S-wave emission from the gas stream or disc impact region. This confirms beyond any doubt that 620 s is the orbital period of ES Cet. We find no significant circular polarisation (below 0.1%). The trailed spectra show that ES Cet’s outer disc is eclipsed by the mass donor, revealing at the same time that the photometric minimum coincides with the hitherto unrecognised eclipse.
Conclusions.
ES Cet shows spectroscopic behaviour consistent with accretion via a disc, and is the shortest orbital-period eclipsing AM CVn star known.
Abstract
The discovery of the electromagnetic counterpart to the binary neutron star (NS) merger GW170817 has opened the era of gravitational-wave multimessenger astronomy. Rapid identification of ...the optical/infrared kilonova enabled a precise localization of the source, which paved the way to deep multiwavelength follow-up and its myriad of related science results. Fully exploiting this new territory of exploration requires the acquisition of electromagnetic data from samples of NS mergers and other gravitational-wave sources. After GW170817, the frontier is now to map the diversity of kilonova properties and provide more stringent constraints on the Hubble constant, and enable new tests of fundamental physics. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time can play a key role in this field in the 2020s, when an improved network of gravitational-wave detectors is expected to reach a sensitivity that will enable the discovery of a high rate of merger events involving NSs (∼tens per year) out to distances of several hundred megaparsecs. We design comprehensive target-of-opportunity observing strategies for follow-up of gravitational-wave triggers that will make the Rubin Observatory the premier instrument for discovery and early characterization of NS and other compact-object mergers, and yet unknown classes of gravitational-wave events.
The Galactic black hole candidate XTE J1752−223 was observed during the decay of its 2009 outburst with the Suzaku and XMM-Newton observatories. The observed spectra are consistent with the source ...being in the 'intermediate' and 'low-hard' states, respectively. The presence of a strong, relativistic iron emission line is clearly detected in both observations and the line profiles are found to be remarkably consistent and robust to a variety of continuum models. This strongly points to the compact object in XTE J1752−223 being a stellar mass black hole accretor and not a neutron star. Physically motivated and self-consistent reflection models for the Fe Kα emission-line profile and disc reflection spectrum rule out either a non-rotating, Schwarzschild black hole or a maximally rotating, Kerr black hole at greater than 3σ level of confidence. Using a fully relativistic line function in which the black hole spin parameter is a variable, we have formally constrained the spin parameter to be 0.52 ± 0.11(1σ). Furthermore, we show that the source in the low-hard state still requires an optically thick disc component having a luminosity which is consistent with the L∝T
4 relation expected for a thin disc extending down to the innermost stable circular orbit. Our result is in contrast to the prevailing paradigm that the disc is truncated in the low-hard state.
ABSTRACT
Polars are highly magnetic cataclysmic variables which have been long observed to have both high and low brightness states. The duration of these states has been previously seen to vary from ...a number of days up to years. Despite this, these states and their physical origin have not been explained in a consistent manner. We present observations of the shortest duration states of a number of Polars observed by ZTF and TESS. This has allowed us to determine that short-duration states are a relatively common feature across the population of Polars. Furthermore, we have been able to generalize the model of star-spot migration to explain both short-lived high and low states in Polars by incorporating the interaction between the magnetic field of the white dwarf and that of the star spots.
ABSTRACT
We present results of our analysis of up to 15 yr of photometric data from eight AM CVn systems with orbital periods between 22.5 and 26.8 min. Our data have been collected from the GOTO, ...ZTF, Pan-STARRS, ASAS-SN, and Catalina all-sky surveys and amateur observations collated by the AAVSO. We find evidence that these interacting ultracompact binaries show a similar diversity of long-term optical properties as the hydrogen accreting dwarf novae. We found that AM CVn systems in the previously identified accretion disc instability region are not a homogenous group. Various members of the analysed sample exhibit behaviour reminiscent of Z Cam systems with long superoutbursts (SOs) and standstills, SU UMa systems with regular, shorter SOs, and nova-like systems that appear only in a high state. The addition of TESS full frame images of one of these systems, KL Dra, reveals the first evidence for normal outbursts appearing as a precursor to SOs in an AM CVn system. Our results will inform theoretical modelling of the outbursts of hydrogen deficient systems.
We present the first results of coordinated multiwavelength observations of the Galactic black hole GX 339-4 in a canonical low/hard state, obtained during its 2004 outburst. XMM-Newton observed the ...source for two revolutions, or approximately 280 ks; RXTE monitored the source throughout this long stare. The resulting data offer the best view yet obtained of the inner accretion flow geometry in the low/hard state, which is thought to be analogous to the geometry in low-luminosity active galactic nuclei. The XMM-Newton spectra clearly reveal the presence of a cool accretion disk component and a relativistic Fe K emission line. The results of fits made to both components strongly suggest that a standard thin disk remains at or near to the innermost stable circular orbit, at least in bright phases of the low/hard state. These findings indicate that potential links between the inner disk radius and the onset of a steady compact jet, and the paradigm of a radially recessed disk in the low/hard state, do not hold universally. The results of our observations can best be explained if a standard thin accretion disk fuels a corona that is closely related to, or consistent with, the base of a compact jet. In a brief examination of archival data, we show that Cygnus X-1 supports this picture of the low/hard state. We discuss our results within the context of disk-jet connections and prevailing models for accretion onto black holes.
VLA radio observations of AR Scorpii Stanway, E. R.; Marsh, T. R.; Chote, P. ...
Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin),
03/2018, Letnik:
611
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Aims. AR Scorpii is unique amongst known white dwarf binaries in showing powerful pulsations extending to radio frequencies. Here we aim to investigate the multi-frequency radio emission of AR Sco in ...detail, in order to constrain its origin and emission mechanisms. Methods. We present interferometric radio frequency imaging of AR Sco at 1.5, 5 and 9 GHz, analysing the total flux and polarization behaviour of this source at high time resolution (10, 3 and 3 s), across a full 3.6 h orbital period in each band. Results. We find strong modulation of the radio flux on the orbital period and the orbital sideband of the white dwarf’s spin period (also known as the “beat” period). This indicates that, like the optical flux, the radio flux arises predominantly from on or near the inner surface of the M-dwarf companion star. The beat-phase pulsations of AR Sco decrease in strength with decreasing frequency. They are strongest at 9 GHz and at an orbital phase ~0.5. Unlike the optical emission from this source, radio emission from AR Sco shows weak linear polarization but very strong circular polarization, reaching ~30% at an orbital phase ~0.8. We infer the probable existence of a non-relativistic cyclotron emission component, which dominates at low radio frequencies. Given the required magnetic fields, this also likely arises from on or near the M-dwarf.
ABSTRACT We present the results of a high angular resolution (1.1 arcsec) and sensitivity (maximum of ∼0.1 mJy) radio survey at 1–2 GHz in the Galactic Bulge. This complements the X-ray Chandra ...Galactic Bulge Survey, and investigates the full radio source population in this dense Galactic region. Radio counterparts to sources at other wavelengths can aid in classification, as there are relatively few types of objects that are reasonably detectable in radio at kiloparsec distances, and even fewer that are detected in both X-rays and radio. This survey covers about 3 sq deg of the Galactic Bulge Survey area (spanning the Galactic coordinate range of −3° < l < +3° and +1.6° < b < +2.1°) as a first look into this region of the Galaxy with this combination of frequency, resolution, and sensitivity. Spectral indices within the observed band of 1–2 GHz were calculated for each source to assist in determining its emission mechanism. We find 1617 unique sources in the survey, 25 of which are radio counterparts to X-ray sources, and about 100 of which are steep-spectrum (α ≲ −1.4) point sources that are viable pulsar candidates. Four radio sources are of particular interest: a compact binary; an infrared transient with an inverted radio spectrum; a potential transitional millisecond pulsar candidate; and a very steep spectrum radio source with an X-ray and bright infrared counterpart. We discuss other notable sources, including possible radio transients, potential new planetary nebulae, and active galactic nuclei.
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