2005/03/02 by Margarita Karovska, M. Karovska, Eric Schlegel +6 · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Flare #Luminosity #ROSAT #Stars #Stellar evolution #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Transient (computer programming) #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/430111
published as Astrophys.J. 623 (2005) L137-L140 · 7 pages, 3 figures, to be published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters
arxiv created 2005/03/02 · openalex publication_date 2005/03/25 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2019/06/27 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We report the Chandra ACIS-S detection of a bright soft X-ray transient in the Mira AB interacting symbiotic-like binary. We have resolved the system for the first time in X-rays. Using Chandra and Hubble Space Telescope images, we determine that the unprecedented outburst is likely associated with the cool asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star, Mira A, the prototype of the Mira class of variables. X-rays have never before been detected from an AGB star, and the recent activity signals that the system is undergoing dramatic changes. The total X-ray luminosity of the system is several times higher than the luminosity estimated using previous XMM-Newton and ROSAT observations. The outburst may be caused by a giant flare in Mira A associated with a mass ejection or a jet and may have long-term consequences on the system.