A transient black hole low-mass X-ray binary candidate in Centaurus A

G. R. Sivakoff; R. P. Kraft; A. Jordan; A. M. Juett; D. A. Evans; W. R. Forman; M. J. Hardcastle; C. L. Sarazin; M. Birkinshaw; N. J. Brassington; J. H. Croston; W. E. Harris; C. Jones; S. S. Murray; S. Raychaudhury; K. A. Woodley; D. M. Worrall

A transient black hole low-mass X-ray binary candidate in Centaurus A

G. R. Sivakoff^*, R. P. Kraft, A. Jordan, A. M. Juett, D. A. Evans, W. R. Forman, M. J. Hardcastle, C. L. Sarazin, M. Birkinshaw, N. J. Brassington, J. H. Croston, W. E. Harris, C. Jones, S. S. Murray, S. Raychaudhury, K. A. Woodley, D. M. Worrall

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

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Abstract

We report the discovery of a bright transient X-ray source, CXOU J132518.2-430304, toward Centaurus A (Cen A) using six new Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations in 2007 March-May. Between 2003 and 2007, its flux has increased by a factor of > 770. The source is likely a low-mass X-ray binary in Cen A with unabsorbed 0.3-10 keV band luminosities of (2-3) x 10(39)ergs s(-1) and a transition from the steep-power-law state to the thermal state during our observations. CXOU J132518.2-430304 is the most luminous X-ray source in an early-type galaxy with extensive timing information that reveals transience and a spectral state transition. Combined with its luminosity, these properties make this source one of the strongest candidates to date for containing a stellar-mass black hole in an early-type galaxy. Unless this outburst lasts many years, the rate of luminous transients in Cen A is anomalously high compared to other early-type galaxies.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	L27-L30
Number of pages	4
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	677
Issue number	1
Publication status	Published - 10 Apr 2008

Keywords

binaries : close
galaxies : elliptical and lenticular
cD galaxies : individual (Centaurus A, NGC 5128)
X-rays : binaries
EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES
NGC 5128 CENTAURUS
M31
POPULATION
DISTANCES
CATALOG

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Sivakoff, G. R., Kraft, R. P., Jordan, A., Juett, A. M., Evans, D. A., Forman, W. R., Hardcastle, M. J., Sarazin, C. L., Birkinshaw, M., Brassington, N. J., Croston, J. H., Harris, W. E., Jones, C., Murray, S. S., Raychaudhury, S., Woodley, K. A., & Worrall, D. M. (2008). A transient black hole low-mass X-ray binary candidate in Centaurus A. Astrophysical Journal, 677(1), L27-L30.

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title = "A transient black hole low-mass X-ray binary candidate in Centaurus A",

abstract = "We report the discovery of a bright transient X-ray source, CXOU J132518.2-430304, toward Centaurus A (Cen A) using six new Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations in 2007 March-May. Between 2003 and 2007, its flux has increased by a factor of > 770. The source is likely a low-mass X-ray binary in Cen A with unabsorbed 0.3-10 keV band luminosities of (2-3) x 10(39)ergs s(-1) and a transition from the steep-power-law state to the thermal state during our observations. CXOU J132518.2-430304 is the most luminous X-ray source in an early-type galaxy with extensive timing information that reveals transience and a spectral state transition. Combined with its luminosity, these properties make this source one of the strongest candidates to date for containing a stellar-mass black hole in an early-type galaxy. Unless this outburst lasts many years, the rate of luminous transients in Cen A is anomalously high compared to other early-type galaxies.",

keywords = "binaries : close, galaxies : elliptical and lenticular, cD galaxies : individual (Centaurus A, NGC 5128), X-rays : binaries, EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES, NGC 5128 CENTAURUS, M31, POPULATION, DISTANCES, CATALOG",

author = "Sivakoff, {G. R.} and Kraft, {R. P.} and A. Jordan and Juett, {A. M.} and Evans, {D. A.} and Forman, {W. R.} and Hardcastle, {M. J.} and Sarazin, {C. L.} and M. Birkinshaw and Brassington, {N. J.} and Croston, {J. H.} and Harris, {W. E.} and C. Jones and Murray, {S. S.} and S. Raychaudhury and Woodley, {K. A.} and Worrall, {D. M.}",

year = "2008",

month = apr,

day = "10",

language = "English",

volume = "677",

pages = "L27--L30",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

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T1 - A transient black hole low-mass X-ray binary candidate in Centaurus A

AU - Sivakoff, G. R.

AU - Kraft, R. P.

AU - Jordan, A.

AU - Juett, A. M.

AU - Evans, D. A.

AU - Forman, W. R.

AU - Hardcastle, M. J.

AU - Sarazin, C. L.

AU - Birkinshaw, M.

AU - Brassington, N. J.

AU - Croston, J. H.

AU - Harris, W. E.

AU - Jones, C.

AU - Murray, S. S.

AU - Raychaudhury, S.

AU - Woodley, K. A.

AU - Worrall, D. M.

PY - 2008/4/10

Y1 - 2008/4/10

N2 - We report the discovery of a bright transient X-ray source, CXOU J132518.2-430304, toward Centaurus A (Cen A) using six new Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations in 2007 March-May. Between 2003 and 2007, its flux has increased by a factor of > 770. The source is likely a low-mass X-ray binary in Cen A with unabsorbed 0.3-10 keV band luminosities of (2-3) x 10(39)ergs s(-1) and a transition from the steep-power-law state to the thermal state during our observations. CXOU J132518.2-430304 is the most luminous X-ray source in an early-type galaxy with extensive timing information that reveals transience and a spectral state transition. Combined with its luminosity, these properties make this source one of the strongest candidates to date for containing a stellar-mass black hole in an early-type galaxy. Unless this outburst lasts many years, the rate of luminous transients in Cen A is anomalously high compared to other early-type galaxies.

AB - We report the discovery of a bright transient X-ray source, CXOU J132518.2-430304, toward Centaurus A (Cen A) using six new Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations in 2007 March-May. Between 2003 and 2007, its flux has increased by a factor of > 770. The source is likely a low-mass X-ray binary in Cen A with unabsorbed 0.3-10 keV band luminosities of (2-3) x 10(39)ergs s(-1) and a transition from the steep-power-law state to the thermal state during our observations. CXOU J132518.2-430304 is the most luminous X-ray source in an early-type galaxy with extensive timing information that reveals transience and a spectral state transition. Combined with its luminosity, these properties make this source one of the strongest candidates to date for containing a stellar-mass black hole in an early-type galaxy. Unless this outburst lasts many years, the rate of luminous transients in Cen A is anomalously high compared to other early-type galaxies.

KW - binaries : close

KW - galaxies : elliptical and lenticular

KW - cD galaxies : individual (Centaurus A, NGC 5128)

KW - X-rays : binaries

KW - EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES

KW - NGC 5128 CENTAURUS

KW - M31

KW - POPULATION

KW - DISTANCES

KW - CATALOG

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 677

SP - L27-L30

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

ER -

A transient black hole low-mass X-ray binary candidate in Centaurus A

Abstract

Keywords

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