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Title:
The optical counterparts of Accreting Millisecond X-Ray Pulsars during quiescence
Authors:
D'Avanzo, P.; Campana, S.; Casares, J.; Covino, S.; Israel, G. L.; Stella, L.
Affiliation:
AA(INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, via E. Bianchi 46, I-23807 Merate (Lc), Italy), AB(INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, via E. Bianchi 46, I-23807 Merate (Lc), Italy), AC(Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, 38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain), AD(INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, via E. Bianchi 46, I-23807 Merate (Lc), Italy), AE(INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, I-00040 Monte Porzio Catone, Roma, Italy), AF(INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, I-00040 Monte Porzio Catone, Roma, Italy)
Publication:
A DECADE OF ACCRETING MILLISECOND X-RAY PULSARS. AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 1068, pp. 217-220 (2008). (AIPC Homepage)
Publication Date:
10/2008
Origin:
AIP
PACS Keywords:
Accretion and accretion disks, Pulsars, X-ray binaries
DOI:
10.1063/1.3031195
Bibliographic Code:
2008AIPC.1068..217D

Abstract

Using data obtained with the ESO-Very Large Telescope, we have performed a deep optical and NIR photometric study of the fields of three Accreting Millisecond X-ray Pulsars (XTE J1814-338, XTE J0929-314 and XTE J1807-294) during quiescence in order to look for the presence of a variable counterpart. If suitable candidates are found, we also carried out optical spectroscopy. We present here the first multi-band (VR) detection of the optical counterpart of XTE J1814-338 in quiescence together with its optical spectrum. The optical light curve shows variability in both bands consistent with a sinusoidal modulation at the known 4.3 hr orbital period. The marginal detection of the very faint counterpart of XTE J0929-314 and deep upper limits for the optical/NIR counterpart of XTE J1807-294 are also reported. We also briefly discuss the results reported in the literature for the optical/NIR counterpart of XTE J1751-305. Our findings are consistent with AMXPs being systems containing an old, weakly magnetized neutron star, reactivated as a millisecond radio pulsar during quiescence which irradiates the low-mass companion star. The absence of type I X-ray bursts and of hydrogen and helium lines in outburst spectra of ultra-compact (Porb<1 hr) AMXPs suggests that the companion stars are likely evolved dwarf stars.
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