6533b7d9fe1ef96bd126cd28
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Spectral Variability of the Nucleus of M33 in aChandra/ACIS Observation
V. La ParolaGiovanni PeresFrancesco DamianiGiuseppina Fabbianosubject
PhysicsbiologyAstrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical PhenomenaAstrophysics (astro-ph)FOS: Physical sciencesFluxAstronomy and AstrophysicsAstrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic AstrophysicsAstrophysicsAstrophysicsbiology.organism_classificationAcisBlack holemedicine.anatomical_structureSpace and Planetary SciencemedicineAstrophysics::Solar and Stellar AstrophysicsNucleusAstrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysicsdescription
We have analyzed a 90 ksec long observation of the bright nucleus of M33 made with Chandra/ACIS. We detected low-amplitude (~sim10%) highly significant variability on timescales of ~5000 sec. We also find associated spectral variability. The two main spectral components (a power-law with \Gamma~2 and a multicolor disk -MCD- with kT~0.9-1.2 keV) vary in relative flux. The MCD temperature also increases with increasing MCD flux. The pattern of variability is reminiscent of (but not identical to) galactic black hole binaries. A ~5 M$_{\odot}$ accreting black hole may explain this source.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-10-08 | The Astrophysical Journal |