Orbital X‐Ray Variability of the Microquasar LS 5039
The properties of the orbit and the donor star in the high mass X-ray binary microquasar LS 5039 indicate that accretion processes should mainly occur via a radiatively driven wind. In such a scenario, significant X-ray variability would be expected due to the eccentricity of the orbit. The source has been observed at X-rays by several missions, although with a poor coverage that prevents to reach any conclusion about orbital variability. Therefore, we conducted RossiXTE observations of the microquasar system LS 5039 covering a full orbital period of 4 days. Individual observations are well fitted with an absorbed power-law plus a Gaussian at 6.7 keV, to account for iron line emission that …
The Highly Collimated Radio Jet of HH 80–81: Structure and Nonthermal Emission
Radio emission from protostellar jets is usually dominated by free-free emission from thermal electrons. However, in some cases, it has been proposed that non-thermal emission could also be present. This additional contribution from non-thermal emission has been inferred through negative spectral indices at centimeter wavelengths in some regions of the radio jets. In the case of HH 80-81, one of the most powerful protostellar jets known, linearly polarized emission has also been detected, revealing that the non-thermal emission is of synchrotron nature from a population of relativistic particles in the jet. This result implies that an acceleration mechanism should be taking place in some pa…
A Multiwavelength Investigation of the Relationship Between 2CG135+1 and LSI+61o 303
We present the results of a multiwavelength monitoring campaign targeting the gamma-ray source 2CG 135+1 in an attempt to confirm the association of this object with the radio/Be/X-ray binary system LSI +61o 303. The campaign included simultaneous radio, optical, infrared, and hard x-ray/gamma-ray observations carried out with a variety of instruments, covering (not continously) almost three binary cycles of LSI +61o 303 during the period April-July 1994. Three separate OSSE observations of the gamma-ray source were carried out, covering different phases of the radio lightcurve. Hard X-ray/gamma-ray emission was detected from the direction of 2CG 135+1 during the first of these OSSE observa…
Long-term X-ray variability of the microquasar system LS 5039/RX J1826.2−1450
We report on the results of the spectral and timing analysis of a BeppoSAX observation of the microquasar system LS 5039/RX J1826.2-1450. The source was found in a low-flux state with Fx(1-10 keV)= 4.7 x 10^{-12} erg cm^{-2} s^{-1}, which represents almost one order of magnitude lower than a previous RXTE observation 2.5 years before. The 0.1--10 keV spectrum is described by an absorbed power-law continuum with photon-number spectral index Gamma=1.8+-0.2 and hydrogen column density of NH=1.0^{+0.4}_{-0.3} x 10^{22} cm^{-2}. According to the orbital parameters of the system the BeppoSAX observation covers the time of an X-ray eclipse should one occur. However, the 1.6-10 keV light curve does…
Photometric and Hα Observations of LSI+61°303
The Be massive X-ray binary LSI+61°303 is a 26.5 days periodic radiosource (Taylor & Gregory, 1984), exhibiting radio outbursts maxima between phases 0.6-0.8. Evidence of a photometric period of similar value has also been reported (Paredes & Figueras, 1986; Mendelson & Mazeh, 1989). The previous spectroscopic radial velocity observations of Hutchings & Crampton (1981) are in agreement with the radio period, and give support to the presence of a companion. We present new optical and infrared photometric observations and high resolution Hα spectra of LSI+61°303.
Comparison of the H-alpha circumstellar disks in Be/X-ray binaries and Be stars
We present a comparative study of the circumstellar disks in Be/X-ray binaries and isolated Be stars based upon the H-alpha emission line. From this comparison it follows that the overall structure of the disks in the Be/X-ray binaries is similar to the disks of other Be stars, i.e. they are axisymmetric and rotationally supported. The factors for the line broadening (rotation and temperature) in the disks of the Be stars and the Be/X-ray binaries seem to be identical. However, we do detect some intriguing differences between the envelopes. On average, the circumstellar disks of the Be/X-ray binaries are twice as dense as the disks of the isolated Be stars. The different distribution of the…