High-mass X-ray binaries and the spiral structure of the host galaxy

We investigate the manifestation of the spiral structure in the distribution of high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) over the host galaxy. We construct the simplest kinematic model. It shows that the HMXBs should be displaced relative to the spiral structure observed in such traditional star formation rate indicators as the Hα and far-infrared emissions because of their finite lifetimes. Using Chandra observations of M51, we have studied the distribution of X-ray sources relative to the spiral arms of this galaxy observed in Hα. Based on K-band data and background source number counts, we have separated the contributions from high-mass and low-mass X-ray binaries and active galactic nuclei. In agreement with model predictions, the distribution of HMXBs is wider than that of bright H II regions concentrated in the region of ongoing star formation. However, the statistical significance of this result is low, as is the significance of the concentration of the total population of X-ray sources to the spiral arms. We also predict the distribution of HMXBs in our Galaxy in Galactic longitude. The distribution depends on the mean HMXB age and can differ significantly from the distributions of such young objects as ultracompact H II regions.     

UV emission lines in passively evolving galaxies can reveal the progenitors of type Ia supernovae

The question of which progenitor channel can reproduce the observed rate of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) remains unresolved, the two leading models being the so-called single and double degenerate scenarios. The former implies a large population of accreting, nuclear-burning white dwarfs with photospheric temperatures T～10⁵–10⁶ K during some part of their accretion history. Recently, we demonstrated that a population of accreting white dwarfs large enough to reproduce the observed SN Ia rate would contribute significantly to the ionizing radiation expected from the stellar population in early-type galaxies, now commonly observed to host spatially extended regions of neutral and ionized gas. From our photoionization calculations, we show that one can constrain the contribution of the single degenerate channel to the SN Ia rate in early-type galaxies from upper limits on the luminosity of a number of emission lines characteristic of ionization by high-temperature sources. Detection (or strong upper limits on) He II 1640 Å and [C II] 1335 Å, expected to be overluminous in these galaxies if the single-degenerate channel holds true, can strongly constrain the total luminosity of nuclear-burning white dwarfs in these populations. In the near-UV, our photoionization calculations demonstrate that the EW of the [O II] 3727 doublet and the [Ne III] 3869/[O II] 3727 ratio can also provide a powerful diagnostic, particularly in post-starburst galaxies. Together with the He II 3203 Å (5 → 3) recombination line, these lines present an excellent opportunity for strongly constraining the population of accreting, nuclear-burning white dwarfs, and in general the available ionizing continuum, at relatively short delay-times (time from initial starburst).     

A deficit of type I X-ray bursts from low-accretion-rate binaries: Data from the TTM/COMIS telescope onboard the Mir-Kvant observatory

We analyze 175 sessions of Galactic-center observations with the TTM/COMIS telescope onboard the Mir-Kvant observatory from 1987 until 1998. Because of its wide field of view (～ 15°×15°), much of the Galaxy and, hence, a large number of X-ray sources were simultaneously within the telescope aperture. During the observations, 47 X-ray bursts were detected, 33 of which are most likely type I bursts related to unstable helium burning on the surfaces of neutron stars. All the detected type I bursts were identified with known X-ray sources; the pre-and post-burst luminosities of these sources measured with the TTM telescope were high. No bursts were detected from voids, i.e., from sources whose luminosities in quiescence did not exceed the TTM detection threshold. This result allows us to constrain the combination of the number of binary sources with low accretion rates and the properties of X-ray bursts from such sources, in particular, the peak luminosity during bursts and the frequency of their occurrence.     

A hard X-ray survey of the Galactic-Center region with the IBIS telescope of the INTEGRAL observatory: A catalog of sources

From August 23 through September 24, 2003, the INTEGRAL Observatory conducted a deep survey of the Galactic-Center region with a record-breaking sensitivity at energies above 20 keV. We have analyzed the images of the Galactic-Center region obtained with the ISGRI detector of the IBIS telescope (15–200 keV) and give a catalog of detected sources. We detected a total of 60 sources with fluxes above 1.5 mCrab, 44 and 3 of which were previously identified as binary systems of different classes in our Galaxy and as extragalactic objects, respectively. We discovered one new source.     

Discovery of the Most X-ray Luminous Quasar SRGE J170245.3+130104 at Redshift $$\boldsymbol{z\approx 5.5}$$

Astronomy Letters - During the first all-sky survey of the SRG orbital observatory, the X-ray source SRGE J170245.3+130104 was discovered with the eROSITA telescope on March 13–15, 2020. Its...     

Solar hard X-ray and γ-ray bursts observed by the sigma anti-coincidence shield aboard granat

The anti-coincidence shield of the SIGMA telescope aboard GRANAT provides observations of solar X-ray and -ray bursts in the energy range 200 keV–15 MeV. The characteristics of the experiment are presented here as well as the observations of the solar bursts detected during the first year of operation. Among these events, two of these bursts associated respectively with a limb and a disk flare were observed with significant flux above 10 MeV. Advantage is taken of the experiment large detector area to examine fine time structures even at high energies ( 10 MeV).     

Optical Identification of Candidates for Active Galactic Nuclei Detected by the Mikhail Pavlinsky ART-XC Telescope Onboard the SRG Observatory during an All-Sky X-ray Survey

Astronomy Letters - We present the results of our identification of eight objects from the preliminary catalogue of X-ray sources detected in the 4–12 keV energy band by the Mikhail Pavlinsky...