2019/03/31 by Lidia M. Oskinova, L. M. Oskinova, A. Bik +13
Physics and Astronomy · #Accretion (finance) #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Black hole (networking) #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Galaxy #Luminosity #Neutron star #Population #Stars #Stellar population #astro-ph.GA
paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201935414
published as A&A 627, A63 (2019) · A&A, in press
openalex created_date 2019/03/22 · openalex publication_date 2019/05/24 · arxiv created 2019/05/31 · arxiv updated 2019/07/03 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Context . X-ray radiation from accreting compact objects is an important part of stellar feedback. The metal-poor galaxy ESO 338-4 has experienced vigorous starburst during the last <40 Myr and contains some of the most massive super star clusters in the nearby Universe. Given its starburst age and its star-formation rate, ESO 338-4 is one of the most efficient nearby manufactures of neutron stars and black holes, hence providing an excellent laboratory for feedback studies. Aims . We aim to use X-ray observations with the largest modern X-ray telescopes XMM-Newton and Chandra to unveil the most luminous accreting neutron stars and black holes in ESO 338-4. Methods . We compared X-ray images and spectra with integral field spectroscopic observations in the optical to constrain the nature of strong X-ray emitters. Results . X-ray observations uncover three ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) in ESO 338-4. The brightest among them, ESO 338 X-1, has X-ray luminosity in excess of 10 40 erg s −1 . We speculate that ESO 338-4 X-1 is powered by accretion on an intermediate-mass (≳300 M ⊙ ) black hole. We show that X-ray radiation from ULXs and hot superbubbles strongly contributes to He II ionization and general stellar feedback in this template starburst galaxy.