The near-infrared counterpart of 4U 1636-53: (Research Note)

D. M. Russell; K. O'Brien; T. Muñoz-Darias; P. Casella; P. Gandhi; M. G. Revnivtsev

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118033

The near-infrared counterpart of 4U 1636-53: (Research Note)

D. M. Russell, K. O'Brien, T. Muñoz-Darias, P. Casella, P. Gandhi, M. G. Revnivtsev

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Context. The optical counterpart of the neutron star X-ray binary and well known X-ray burster, 4U 1636-53 (=4U 1636-536 = V801 Ara) has been studied for three decades. However, no infrared studies have been reported to date. Aims. Our aims are to identify and investigate the near-infrared (NIR) counterpart of 4U 1636-53. Methods. We present deep, K _S-band (2.2 μm) imaging of the region of 4U 1636-53 taken with the Infrared Spectrometer And Array Camera (ISAAC) on the Very Large Telescope. Archival optical and UV data were used to infer the 0.2-2.2 μm spectral energy distribution (SED). Results. One star is located at coordinates α = 16:40:55.57, δ =-53:45:05.2 (J2000; 1σ positional uncertainty of ∼0.3 arcsec), which is consistent with the known optical position of 4U 1636-53; its magnitude is K _S = 16.14 ± 0.12. This star is also detected in the 2MASS survey in the J-band and has a magnitude of J = 16.65 ±0.22. Assuming that the persistent emission is quite steady, the 0.4-2.2 μm de-reddened SED can be described by a power law F _νν ^{1.5 ± 0.3}, with some possible curvature (F _νν ^1.5) at 0.2-0.4 μm. The SED can be approximated by a blackbody of temperature ∼27000 K. This is typical for an active low-mass X-ray binary, and the emission can be explained by the outer regions of a (likely irradiated) accretion disc. We therefore interpret this K _S-band star as the NIR counterpart.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	A53
Journal	Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume	539
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201118033
State	Published - 2012

Keywords

Infrared: stars
Stars: neutron
X-rays: binaries

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1051/0004-6361/201118033

Cite this

@article{52e433a4f5de4726be7bebb70e616c92,

title = "The near-infrared counterpart of 4U 1636-53: (Research Note)",

abstract = "Context. The optical counterpart of the neutron star X-ray binary and well known X-ray burster, 4U 1636-53 (=4U 1636-536 = V801 Ara) has been studied for three decades. However, no infrared studies have been reported to date. Aims. Our aims are to identify and investigate the near-infrared (NIR) counterpart of 4U 1636-53. Methods. We present deep, K S-band (2.2 μm) imaging of the region of 4U 1636-53 taken with the Infrared Spectrometer And Array Camera (ISAAC) on the Very Large Telescope. Archival optical and UV data were used to infer the 0.2-2.2 μm spectral energy distribution (SED). Results. One star is located at coordinates α = 16:40:55.57, δ =-53:45:05.2 (J2000; 1σ positional uncertainty of ∼0.3 arcsec), which is consistent with the known optical position of 4U 1636-53; its magnitude is K S = 16.14 ± 0.12. This star is also detected in the 2MASS survey in the J-band and has a magnitude of J = 16.65 ±0.22. Assuming that the persistent emission is quite steady, the 0.4-2.2 μm de-reddened SED can be described by a power law F νν 1.5 ± 0.3, with some possible curvature (F νν 1.5) at 0.2-0.4 μm. The SED can be approximated by a blackbody of temperature ∼27000 K. This is typical for an active low-mass X-ray binary, and the emission can be explained by the outer regions of a (likely irradiated) accretion disc. We therefore interpret this K S-band star as the NIR counterpart.",

keywords = "Infrared: stars, Stars: neutron, X-rays: binaries",

author = "Russell, {D. M.} and K. O'Brien and T. Mu{\~n}oz-Darias and P. Casella and P. Gandhi and Revnivtsev, {M. G.}",

note = "Funding Information: This research was partly supported by a Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) Veni Fellowship and partly by a Marie Curie Intra European Fellowship within the 7th European Community Framework Programme under contract No. IEF 274805. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Communitys Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement number ITN 215212 – Black Hole Universe –. Partially funded by the Spanish MEC under the Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Program grant CSD2006-00070: First Science with the GTC ( http://www.iac.es/consolider-ingenio-gtc/ ). T.M.D. acknowledges support by ERC advanced investigator grant 267697-4PI-SKY. P.C. acknowledges funding via a EU Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship under contract No. 2009-237722. M.R. is supported by grants MD-1832.2011.2, Funding Information: RFBR 10-02-00492 and by Dynasty foundation. This publication makes use of data products from the Two Micron All Sky Survey, which is a joint project of the University of Massachusetts and the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center/California Institute of Technology, funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation.",

year = "2012",

doi = "10.1051/0004-6361/201118033",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "539",

journal = "Astronomy and Astrophysics",

issn = "0004-6361",

publisher = "EDP Sciences",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The near-infrared counterpart of 4U 1636-53

T2 - (Research Note)

AU - Russell, D. M.

AU - O'Brien, K.

AU - Muñoz-Darias, T.

AU - Casella, P.

AU - Gandhi, P.

AU - Revnivtsev, M. G.

N1 - Funding Information: This research was partly supported by a Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) Veni Fellowship and partly by a Marie Curie Intra European Fellowship within the 7th European Community Framework Programme under contract No. IEF 274805. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Communitys Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement number ITN 215212 – Black Hole Universe –. Partially funded by the Spanish MEC under the Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Program grant CSD2006-00070: First Science with the GTC ( http://www.iac.es/consolider-ingenio-gtc/ ). T.M.D. acknowledges support by ERC advanced investigator grant 267697-4PI-SKY. P.C. acknowledges funding via a EU Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship under contract No. 2009-237722. M.R. is supported by grants MD-1832.2011.2, Funding Information: RFBR 10-02-00492 and by Dynasty foundation. This publication makes use of data products from the Two Micron All Sky Survey, which is a joint project of the University of Massachusetts and the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center/California Institute of Technology, funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation.

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Context. The optical counterpart of the neutron star X-ray binary and well known X-ray burster, 4U 1636-53 (=4U 1636-536 = V801 Ara) has been studied for three decades. However, no infrared studies have been reported to date. Aims. Our aims are to identify and investigate the near-infrared (NIR) counterpart of 4U 1636-53. Methods. We present deep, K S-band (2.2 μm) imaging of the region of 4U 1636-53 taken with the Infrared Spectrometer And Array Camera (ISAAC) on the Very Large Telescope. Archival optical and UV data were used to infer the 0.2-2.2 μm spectral energy distribution (SED). Results. One star is located at coordinates α = 16:40:55.57, δ =-53:45:05.2 (J2000; 1σ positional uncertainty of ∼0.3 arcsec), which is consistent with the known optical position of 4U 1636-53; its magnitude is K S = 16.14 ± 0.12. This star is also detected in the 2MASS survey in the J-band and has a magnitude of J = 16.65 ±0.22. Assuming that the persistent emission is quite steady, the 0.4-2.2 μm de-reddened SED can be described by a power law F νν 1.5 ± 0.3, with some possible curvature (F νν 1.5) at 0.2-0.4 μm. The SED can be approximated by a blackbody of temperature ∼27000 K. This is typical for an active low-mass X-ray binary, and the emission can be explained by the outer regions of a (likely irradiated) accretion disc. We therefore interpret this K S-band star as the NIR counterpart.

AB - Context. The optical counterpart of the neutron star X-ray binary and well known X-ray burster, 4U 1636-53 (=4U 1636-536 = V801 Ara) has been studied for three decades. However, no infrared studies have been reported to date. Aims. Our aims are to identify and investigate the near-infrared (NIR) counterpart of 4U 1636-53. Methods. We present deep, K S-band (2.2 μm) imaging of the region of 4U 1636-53 taken with the Infrared Spectrometer And Array Camera (ISAAC) on the Very Large Telescope. Archival optical and UV data were used to infer the 0.2-2.2 μm spectral energy distribution (SED). Results. One star is located at coordinates α = 16:40:55.57, δ =-53:45:05.2 (J2000; 1σ positional uncertainty of ∼0.3 arcsec), which is consistent with the known optical position of 4U 1636-53; its magnitude is K S = 16.14 ± 0.12. This star is also detected in the 2MASS survey in the J-band and has a magnitude of J = 16.65 ±0.22. Assuming that the persistent emission is quite steady, the 0.4-2.2 μm de-reddened SED can be described by a power law F νν 1.5 ± 0.3, with some possible curvature (F νν 1.5) at 0.2-0.4 μm. The SED can be approximated by a blackbody of temperature ∼27000 K. This is typical for an active low-mass X-ray binary, and the emission can be explained by the outer regions of a (likely irradiated) accretion disc. We therefore interpret this K S-band star as the NIR counterpart.

KW - Infrared: stars

KW - Stars: neutron

KW - X-rays: binaries

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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84857419828&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1051/0004-6361/201118033

DO - 10.1051/0004-6361/201118033

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84857419828

SN - 0004-6361

VL - 539

JO - Astronomy and Astrophysics

JF - Astronomy and Astrophysics

M1 - A53

ER -

The near-infrared counterpart of 4U 1636-53: (Research Note)

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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