0000000000073479
AUTHOR
J. M. Torrejon
Accreting magnetars: a new type of high-mass X-ray binaries?
The discovery of very slow pulsations (Pspin=5560s) has solved the long-standing question of the nature of the compact object in the high-mass X-ray binary 4U 2206+54 but has posed new ones. According to spin evolutionary models in close binary systems, such slow pulsations require a neutron star magnetic field strength larger that the quantum critical value, suggesting the presence of a magnetar. We present the first XMM-Newton observations of 4U 2206+54 and investigate its spin evolution. We find that the observed spin-down rate agrees with the magnetar scenario. We analyse ISGRI/INTEGRAL observations of 4U 2206+54 to search for the previously suggested cyclotron resonance scattering feat…
Simultaneous uvbyβ Photometry and Hα Spectroscopy of Be Stars in Open Clusters
The usual methods of spectral clasification, equivalent widths of Balmer lines or photometric calibrations are not suitable for the determination of the astrophysical parameters of the underlying star in Be-type objects. The spectrum is distorted by the circumstellar envelope lines, while the contribution of the envelope continuum radiation contaminates the photometric indices.
Near-IR photometry of southern X-ray binary systems
We report IR measurements of 30 optical counterparts to a group of possible and probable High Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXRBs). In the majority of the systems these measurements represent the rst reported IR flux values. In common with many other similar sys- tems, the results show the presence of a strong, frequently variable IR signal. The implications of some of the results are discussed.
Four colour photometry of late-type binary systems
This paper presents rst complete uvby light curves of the late-type detached eclipsing binary ZZ UMa (G0V + G8V, P =2 : d 2993). This binary system has been observed during eight campaigns at the Calar Alto Observatory (Almeria, Spain)and at the Sierra Nevada Observatory (Granada, Spain). 294 points distributed over the binary period and covering both eclipses are given. The comparison stars used to calculate the dierential light curves (SAO 15242 and SAO 15251) were conrmed as being good reference stars with constant flux. These observations are part of a 6 year uvby and H monitor- ing program of low mass eclipsing binaries whose main objective is to provide accurate absolute astrophysical…
Be stars in open clusters. I. uvby $ ^{\bf \beta}$ photometry
We present uvby β photometry for Be stars in eight open clusters and two OB associations. It is shown that Be stars occupy anomalous positions in the photometric diagrams, which can be explained in terms of the circumstellar continuum radiation contribution to the photometric indices. In the - M V plane Be stars appear redder than the non emission B stars, due to the additional reddening caused by the hydrogen free-bound and free-free recombination in the circumstellar envelope. In the c 0 - M V plane the earlier Be stars present lower c 0 values than absorption-line B stars, which is caused by emission in the Balmer discontinuity, while the later Be stars deviate towards higher c 0 values,…
Be stars in open clusters
We present Hα line profiles (, at continuum level, for some objects) for 58 stars in 8 northern open clusters and associations, complemented with Hβ and Hγ profiles for 36 of them as well as Hδ and Hϵ for 16 programme stars. Our observations, though lower in resolution, yield results which are in good agreement with those obtained in earlier works based mainly on field Be stars. Our data suggest a similar spectroscopic behavior for both field and cluster Be stars. The line parameters (EW, FWHM , ) have been obtained for each line. Nearly the whole set of stars have previously published quasi-simultaneous photometry, so a study of reliable correlations between photometric and spectroscopic d…
Further evidence for the presence of a neutron star in 4U 2206+54. INTEGRAL and VLA observations
The majority of High Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXBs) behave as X-ray pulsars, revealing that they contain a magnetised neutron star. Among the four HMXBs not showing pulsations, and that do not show the characteristics of accreting black holes, there is the unusual HMXB 4U 2206+54. Here we present contemporaneous high-energy and radio observations of this system conducted with INTEGRAL and the VLA in order to unveil its nature. The high-energy spectra show clear indications of the presence of an absorption feature at ~32 keV. This is the third high-energy observatory which reveals marginal evidence of this feature, giving strong support to the existence of a cyclotron resonance scattering featu…
Wind accretion in the massive X-ray binary 4U 2206+54: abnormally slow wind and a moderately eccentric orbit
Massive X-ray binaries are usually classified depending on the properties of the donor star in classical, supergiant and Be X-ray binaries. The massive X-ray binary 4U 2206+54 does not fit in any of these groups, and deserves a detailed study to understand how the transfer of matter and the accretion on to the compact object take place. To this end we study an IUE spectrum of the donor and obtain a wind terminal velocity (v_inf) of ~350 km/s, which is abnormally slow for its spectral type. We also analyse here more than 9 years of available RXTE/ASM data. We study the long-term X-ray variability of the source and find it to be similar to that observed in the wind-fed supergiant system Vela …