EXTraS discovery of an 1.2-s X-ray pulsar in M 31
Esposito P, Israel GL, Belfiore A, Novara G, Sidoli L, Castillo GAR, De Luca A, Tiengo A, Haberl F, Salvaterra R, Read AM, Salvetti D, Sandrelli S, Marelli M, Wilms J, D'Agostino D (2016)
Publication Status: Published
Publication Type: Journal article, Original article
Publication year: 2016
Journal
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Book Volume: 457
Pages Range: L5-L9
Journal Issue: 1
Abstract
During a search for coherent signals in the X-ray archival data of XMM-Newton, we discovered a modulation at 1.2 s in 3XMMJ004301.4+413017 (3X J0043), a source lying in the direction of an external arm ofM31. This short period indicates a neutron star (NS). Between 2000 and 2013, the position of 3X J0043 was imaged by public XMM-Newton observations 35 times. The analysis of these data allowed us to detect an orbital modulation at 1.27 d and study the long-term properties of the source. The emission of the pulsar was rather hard (most spectra are described by a power law withΓ <1) and, assuming the distance to M 31, the 0.3-10 keV luminosity was variable, from ~3 × 10 to 2 × 10 erg s. The analysis of optical data shows that, while 3X J0043 is likely associated to a globular cluster in M 31, a counterpart with V ≥ 22 outside the cluster cannot be excluded. Considering our findings, there are two main viable scenarios for 3X J0043: a peculiar low-mass X-ray binary, similar to 4U 1822-37 or 4U 1626-67, or an intermediate-mass X-ray binary resembling Her X-1. Regardless of the exact nature of the system, 3X J0043 is the first accreting NS in M 31 in which the spin period has been detected.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
National Institute for Astrophysics / Istituto Nazionale Astrofisica (INAF)
Italy (IT)
University of Leicester
United Kingdom (GB)
Brera Observatory / Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera
Italy (IT)
Istituto Universitario Di Studi Superiori Di Pavia
Italy (IT)
Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE) / Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Germany (DE)
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) / National Research Council of Italy
Italy (IT)
Italy (IT)
University of Leicester
United Kingdom (GB)
Brera Observatory / Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera
Italy (IT)
Istituto Universitario Di Studi Superiori Di Pavia
Italy (IT)
Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE) / Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Germany (DE)
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) / National Research Council of Italy
Italy (IT)
How to cite
APA:
Esposito, P., Israel, G.L., Belfiore, A., Novara, G., Sidoli, L., Castillo, G.A.R.,... D'Agostino, D. (2016). EXTraS discovery of an 1.2-s X-ray pulsar in M 31. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, 457(1), L5-L9. https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl/slv194
MLA:
Esposito, Paolo, et al. "EXTraS discovery of an 1.2-s X-ray pulsar in M 31." Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters 457.1 (2016): L5-L9.
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