2003/06/05 by M. J. Coe, N. J. Haigh, C. A. Wilson +1
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Binary number #Context (archaeology) #Flux (metallurgy) #Galaxy #Large Magellanic Cloud #Nebula #Physics #Small Magellanic Cloud #Stars #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Supernova #Supernova remnant #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06875.x
published as Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 344 (2003) 1075 · Accepted for publication by MNRAS
arxiv created 2003/06/05 · openalex publication_date 2003/09/22 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The observed characteristics of the nebulosity surrounding the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) high-mass X-ray binary XTE J0111.2−7317 are examined in the context of three possible nebular types: supernova remnant, bowshock and H ii region. Observational evidence is presented which appears to support the interpretation that the nebulosity surrounding XTE J0111.2–7317 is an H ii region. The source therefore appears to be a normal SMC Be X-ray binary (BeXRB) embedded in a locally enhanced interstellar medium which it has photoionized to create an H ii region. This is supported by observations of the X-ray outburst seen with the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) and Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) in 1998–1999. It exhibited characteristics typical of a giant or type II outburst in a BeXRB including large spin-up rates, LX≥ 1038 erg cm−2 s−1, and a correlation between spin-up rate and pulsed flux. However, the temporal profile of the outburst was unusual, consisting of two similar intensity peaks, with the first peak of shorter duration than the second.