Deep Chandra observations of the NGC 4472 globular cluster black hole XMMU 122939.7+075333: short-term variability from the first globular cluster black hole binary

Joseph, T.; Maccarone, Thomas J.; Kraft, Ralph; Sivakoff, G. R.

doi:10.1093/mnras/stu2523

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 36 publications

(63 reference statements)

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“…Short-duration flares have been observed up to ∼9 × 10 40 erg s −1 in a GC source (Irwin et al 2016). XMMU 122939.7+075333, an L X = 4 × 10 39 erg s −1 black-hole X-ray binary in a GC, was found to fade to L X = 1 × 10 38 erg s −1 , a factor of 40 (Maccarone et al 2010;Joseph et al 2015). CXO J122518.6+144545, either a hyperluminous X-ray source or a field ULX, varied by a factor 60 (Heida, Jonker & Torres 2015).…”

Section: Variabilitymentioning

confidence: 96%

Discovery of a transient ultraluminous X-ray source in the elliptical galaxy M86

Haaften

Maccarone

Rhode

et al. 2018

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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We report the discovery of the transient ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) CXOU J122602.3+125951 (hereafter M86 tULX-1), located 3 52 (19 kpc) northwest of the centre of the giant elliptical galaxy M86 (NGC 4406) in the Virgo Cluster. The spectrum of M86 tULX-1 can be fit by a power law plus multicolour disc model with a 1.0 +0.8 −2.6 index and a 0.66 +0.17 −0.11 keV inner disc temperature, or by a power law with a 1.86 ± 0.10 index. For an isotropically emitting source at the distance of M86, the luminosity based on the superposition of spectral models is (5 ± 1) × 10 39 erg s −1 . Its relatively hard spectrum places M86 tULX-1 in a hitherto unpopulated region in the luminosity-disc temperature diagram, between other ULXs and the (sub-Eddington) black-hole X-ray binaries. We discovered M86 tULX-1 in an archival 148-ks 2013 July Chandra observation, and it was not detected in a 20-ks 2016 May Chandra observation, meaning it faded by a factor of at least 30 in three years. Based on our analysis of deep optical imaging of M86, it is probably not located in a globular cluster. It is the brightest ULX found in an old field environment unaffected by recent galaxy interaction. We conclude that M86 tULX-1 may be a stellar-mass black hole of ∼30 − 100 M with a low-mass giant companion, or a transitional object in a state between the normal stellar-mass black holes and the ultraluminous state.

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Section: Variabilitymentioning

confidence: 96%

Discovery of a transient ultraluminous X-ray source in the elliptical galaxy M86

Haaften

Maccarone

Rhode

et al. 2018

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Recurrent X-ray flares of the black hole candidate in the globular cluster RZ 2109 in NGC 4472

Tiengo

Esposito

Toscani

et al. 2022

A&A

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We report on the systematic analysis of the X-ray observations of the ultra-luminous X-ray source XMMU J122939.7+075333 located in the globular cluster RZ 2109 in the Virgo galaxy NGC 4472. The inclusion of observations and time intervals ignored in previous works and the careful selection of extraction regions and energy bands have allowed us to identify new flaring episodes, in addition to the ones that made it one of the best black hole candidates in globular clusters. Although most observations are too short and sparse to recognize a regular pattern, the spacing of the three most recent X-ray flares is compatible with a ≈34 hours recurrence time. If confirmed by future observations, such behavior, together with the soft spectrum of the X-ray flares, would be strikingly similar to the quasi-periodic eruptions recently discovered in galactic nuclei. Following one of the possible interpretations of these systems and of a peculiar class of extra-galactic X-ray transients, we explore the possibility that XMMU J122939.7+075333 might be powered by the partial disruption of a white dwarf by an intermediate mass (M ≈ 700 M ) black hole.

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Deep radio imaging of 47 Tuc identifies the peculiar X-ray source X9 as a new black hole candidate

Miller-Jones

Strader

Heinke

et al. 2015

Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc.

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134

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We report the detection of steady radio emission from the known X-ray source X9 in the globular cluster 47 Tuc. With a double-peaked C IV emission line in its ultraviolet spectrum providing a clear signature of accretion, this source had been previously classified as a cataclysmic variable. In deep ATCA imaging from 2010 and 2013, we identified a steady radio source at both 5.5 and 9.0 GHz, with a radio spectral index (defined as S ν ∝ ν α ) of α = −0.4 ± 0.4. Our measured flux density of 42 ± 4 µJy beam −1 at 5.5 GHz implies a radio luminosity (νL ν ) of 5.8 × 10 27 erg s −1 , significantly higher than any previous radio detection of an accreting white dwarf. Transitional millisecond pulsars, which have the highest radio-to-X-ray flux ratios among accreting neutron stars (still a factor of a few below accreting black holes at the same L X ), show distinctly different patterns of X-ray and radio variability than X9. When combined with archival X-ray measurements, our radio detection places 47 Tuc X9 very close to the radio/X-ray correlation for accreting black holes, and we explore the possibility that this source is instead a quiescent stellar-mass black hole X-ray binary. The nature of the donor star is uncertain; although the luminosity of the optical counterpart is consistent with a low-mass main sequence donor star, the mass transfer rate required to produce the high quiescent X-ray luminosity of 10 33 erg s −1 suggests the system may instead be ultracompact, with an orbital period of order 25 minutes. This is the fourth quiescent black hole candidate discovered to date in a Galactic globular cluster, and the only one with a confirmed accretion signature from its optical/ultraviolet spectrum.

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Deep Chandra observations of the NGC 4472 globular cluster black hole XMMU 122939.7+075333: short-term variability from the first globular cluster black hole binary

Cited by 4 publications

References 36 publications

Discovery of a transient ultraluminous X-ray source in the elliptical galaxy M86

Discovery of a transient ultraluminous X-ray source in the elliptical galaxy M86

Recurrent X-ray flares of the black hole candidate in the globular cluster RZ 2109 in NGC 4472

Deep radio imaging of 47 Tuc identifies the peculiar X-ray source X9 as a new black hole candidate

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