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Identification of a Population of X-ray Emitting Massive Stars in the Galactic Plane | | G. E. Anderson
; B. M. Gaensler
; D. L. Kaplan
; B. Posselt
; P. O. Slane
; S. S. Murray
; J. C. Mauerhan
; R. A. Benjamin
; C. L. Brogan
; D. Chakrabarty
; J. J. Drake
; J. E. Drew
; J. E. Grindlay
; J. Hong
; T. J. W. Lazio
; J. C. Lee
; D. T. H. Steeghs
; M. H. van Kerkwijk
; | | Date: |
15 Nov 2010 | | Abstract: | We present X-ray, infrared, optical and radio observations of four previously
unidentified Galactic plane X-ray sources, AX J163252-4746, AX J184738-0156, AX
J144701-5919 and AX J144547-5931. Detection of each source with the Chandra
X-ray Observatory has provided sub-arcsecond localizations, which we use to
identify bright infrared counterparts to all four objects. Infrared and optical
spectroscopy of these counterparts demonstrate that all four X-ray sources are
extremely massive stars, with spectral classifications Ofpe/WN9 (AX
J163252-4746), WN7 (AX J184738-0156 = WR121a), WN7-8h (AX J144701-5919) and
OIf+ (AX J144547-5931). AX J163252-4746 and AX J184738-0156 are both luminous,
hard, X-ray emitters with strong Fe XXV emission lines in their X-ray spectra
at ~6.7 keV. The multi-wavelength properties of AX J163252-4746 and AX
J184738-0156 are not consistent with isolated massive stars or accretion onto a
compact companion; we conclude that their X-ray emission is most likely
generated in a colliding-wind binary system. For both AX J144701-5919 and AX
J144547-5931, the X-ray emission is an order of magnitude less luminous and
with a softer spectrum. These properties are consistent with a colliding-wind
binary interpretation for these two sources also, but other mechanisms for the
generation of X-rays cannot be excluded. There are many other as yet
unidentified X-ray sources in the Galactic plane, with X-ray properties similar
to those seen for AX J163252-4746, AX J184738-0156, AX J144701-5919 and AX
J144547-5931. This may indicate a substantial population of X-ray-emitting
massive stars and colliding-wind binaries in the Milky Way. | | Source: | arXiv, 1011.3295 | | Services: | Forum | Review | PDF | Favorites | |
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