Sign on

SAO/NASA ADS Astronomy Abstract Service

· Find Similar Abstracts (with default settings below)
· Electronic Refereed Journal Article (HTML)
· Full Refereed Journal Article (PDF/Postscript)
· arXiv e-print (arXiv:0803.2885)
· On-line Data
· References in the article
· Citations to the Article (4) (Citation History)
· Refereed Citations to the Article
· SIMBAD Objects (5)
· Also-Read Articles (Reads History)
·
· Translate This Page
Title:
Deep Infrared Observations of the Puzzling Central X-Ray Source in RCW 103
Authors:
De Luca, A.; Mignani, R. P.; Zaggia, S.; Beccari, G.; Mereghetti, S.; Caraveo, P. A.; Bignami, G. F.
Affiliation:
AA(INAF-Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica, Via Bassini 15, I-20133 Milano, Italy; ), AB(Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6NT, UK), AC(INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova, Italy), AD(INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, Via Ranzani 1, I-40127 Bologna, Italy), AE(INAF-Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica, Via Bassini 15, I-20133 Milano, Italy), AF(INAF-Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica, Via Bassini 15, I-20133 Milano, Italy), AG(Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, Via Liegi 26, I-00198 Roma, Italy)
Publication:
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 682, Issue 2, pp. 1185-1194. (ApJ Homepage)
Publication Date:
08/2008
Origin:
UCP
ApJ Keywords:
Stars: Individual: Alphanumeric: 1E 161348-5055, Stars: Neutron
DOI:
10.1086/588600
Bibliographic Code:
2008ApJ...682.1185D

Abstract

The object 1E 161348-5055 (1E 1613) is a pointlike, soft X-ray source shining at the center of the 2000 yr old supernova remnant (SNR) RCW 103. It features a puzzling 6.67 hr periodicity and dramatic variability over a timescale of a few years. This, coupled with a young age and the lack of an obvious optical counterpart, makes 1E 1613 a unique source among all compact objects associated with SNRs. It could either be the first low-mass X-ray binary system discovered inside a SNR or a peculiar isolated magnetar with an extremely slow spin period. Analysis of archival VLT ISAAC and HST NICMOS infrared observations unveils a very crowded field. A few sources are positionally consistent with the refined X-ray error region that we derived from the analysis of 13 Chandra observations. To shed light on the nature of 1E 1613, we have performed deep IR observations of the field with the NACO instrument at the VLT, searching for variability. None of the candidates show clear modulation at 6.67 hr or have significant long-term variability. Moreover, none of the candidates stand out for peculiar colors with respect to the bulk of the field sources. We find no compelling reasons to associate any of the candidates with 1E 1613. On one hand, it is very unlikely that one of the candidates is a low-mass companion star to 1E 1613. On the other hand, if the X-ray source is an isolated magnetar surrounded by a fallback disk, we cannot exclude that the IR counterpart is hidden among the candidates. If none of the potential counterparts are linked to the X-ray source, 1E 1613 will remain undetected in the IR down to Ks>22.1, which will make its interpretation as an accreting binary system rather problematic.

Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Paranal, Chile, under program ID 67.D-0198(A), 077.D-0764(A).

Based on observations with the NASA ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA, Inc., under contract No. NAS 5-26555.

Bibtex entry for this abstract   Preferred format for this abstract (see Preferences)
   

Find Similar Abstracts:

Use: Authors
Title
Keywords (in text query field)
Abstract Text
Return: Query Results Return    items starting with number
Query Form
Database: Astronomy
Physics
arXiv e-prints