3D mapping of the neutral X-ray absorption in the local interstellar medium: the Gaia and XMM-Newton synergy

Gatuzz E, Rezaei SK, Kallman TR, Kreikenbohm A, Oertel M, Wilms J, Garcia J (2018)

Publication Language: English

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2018

Journal

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Oxford University Press

Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS

Book Volume: 479

Pages Range: 3715-3725

Journal Issue: 3

DOI: 10.1093/mnras/sty1738

Abstract

We present a three-dimensional map of the hydrogen density distribution in the Galactic interstellar medium. The hydrogen-equivalent column densities were obtained from the Exploring the X-ray Transient and variable Sky project (EXTRAS) which provides equivalent NH values from X-ray spectral fits of observations within the XMM-Newton Data Release. EXTRAS include multiple fits for each source, allowing an accurate determination of the equivalent column densities, which depends on the continuum modelling of the spectra. A cross-correlation between the EXTRAS catalogue and the first Gaia Data Release was performed in order to obtain accurate parallax and distance measurements. We use a Bayesian method explained in Rezaei Kh. et al. (2017) in order to predict the most probable distribution of the density at any arbitrary point, even for lines of sight along which there are no initial observation. The resulting map shows small-scale density structures which could not have been modelled by using analytic density profiles. In this paper, we present a proof of concept of the kind of science possible with the synergy of these catalogues. However, given the systematic uncertainties connected to the source identification and to the dependence of NH on the spectral model, the present maps should be considered qualitatively at this point.

Authors with CRIS profile

Mirjam Oertel Dr.Karl-Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, Astronomisches Institut Jörn Wilms Professur für Astronomie und Astrophysik Javier Garcia Dr.Karl-Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, Astronomisches Institut

Involved external institutions

European Southern Observatory (ESO) DE Germany (DE) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) US United States (USA) (US) Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie / Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Gatuzz, E., Rezaei, S.K., Kallman, T.R., Kreikenbohm, A., Oertel, M., Wilms, J., & Garcia, J. (2018). 3D mapping of the neutral X-ray absorption in the local interstellar medium: the Gaia and XMM-Newton synergy. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 479(3), 3715-3725. https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty1738

MLA:

Gatuzz, Efrain, et al. "3D mapping of the neutral X-ray absorption in the local interstellar medium: the Gaia and XMM-Newton synergy." Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 479.3 (2018): 3715-3725.

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