A Transient Black-Hole Low-Mass X-Ray Binary Candidate in Centaurus A

G.R. Sivakoff; R.P. Kraft; A. Jordan; A.M. Juett; D.A. Evans; W.R. Forman; M.J. Hardcastle; C.L. Sarazin; M. Birkinshaw; Nicola Brassington; J.H. Croston; W.F. Harris; C. Jones; S.S. Murray; S. Raychaudhury; K.A. Woodley; D.M. Worrall

doi:10.1086/587960

A Transient Black-Hole Low-Mass X-Ray Binary Candidate in Centaurus A

G.R. Sivakoff
, R.P. Kraft
, A. Jordan
, A.M. Juett
, D.A. Evans
, W.R. Forman
, M.J. Hardcastle
, C.L. Sarazin
, M. Birkinshaw
, Nicola Brassington
, J.H. Croston
, W.F. Harris
, C. Jones
, S.S. Murray
, S. Raychaudhury
, K.A. Woodley
, D.M. Worrall

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We report the discovery of a bright transient X-ray source, CXOU J132518.2–430304, toward Centaurus A (Cen A) using six new Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations in 2007 March-May. Between 2003 and 2007, its flux has increased by a factor of >770. The source is likely a low-mass X-ray binary in Cen A with unabsorbed 0.3-10 keV band luminosities of (2-3) × 10³⁹ergs s⁻¹and a transition from the steep-power-law state to the thermal state during our observations. CXOU J132518.2–430304 is the most luminous X-ray source in an early-type galaxy with extensive timing information that reveals transience and a spectral state transition. Combined with its luminosity, these properties make this source one of the strongest candidates to date for containing a stellar-mass black hole in an early-type galaxy. Unless this outburst lasts many years, the rate of luminous transients in Cen A is anomalously high compared to other early-type galaxies.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	L27-L30
Journal	The Astrophysical Journal
Volume	677
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/587960
Publication status	Published - 2008

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Sivakoff, G. R., Kraft, R. P., Jordan, A., Juett, A. M., Evans, D. A., Forman, W. R., Hardcastle, M. J., Sarazin, C. L., Birkinshaw, M., Brassington, N., Croston, J. H., Harris, W. F., Jones, C., Murray, S. S., Raychaudhury, S., Woodley, K. A., & Worrall, D. M. (2008). A Transient Black-Hole Low-Mass X-Ray Binary Candidate in Centaurus A. The Astrophysical Journal, 677, L27-L30. https://doi.org/10.1086/587960

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title = "A Transient Black-Hole Low-Mass X-Ray Binary Candidate in Centaurus A",

abstract = "We report the discovery of a bright transient X-ray source, CXOU J132518.2–430304, toward Centaurus A (Cen A) using six new Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations in 2007 March-May. Between 2003 and 2007, its flux has increased by a factor of >770. The source is likely a low-mass X-ray binary in Cen A with unabsorbed 0.3-10 keV band luminosities of (2-3) × 1039ergs s−1 and a transition from the steep-power-law state to the thermal state during our observations. CXOU J132518.2–430304 is the most luminous X-ray source in an early-type galaxy with extensive timing information that reveals transience and a spectral state transition. Combined with its luminosity, these properties make this source one of the strongest candidates to date for containing a stellar-mass black hole in an early-type galaxy. Unless this outburst lasts many years, the rate of luminous transients in Cen A is anomalously high compared to other early-type galaxies.",

author = "G.R. Sivakoff and R.P. Kraft and A. Jordan and A.M. Juett and D.A. Evans and W.R. Forman and M.J. Hardcastle and C.L. Sarazin and M. Birkinshaw and Nicola Brassington and J.H. Croston and W.F. Harris and C. Jones and S.S. Murray and S. Raychaudhury and K.A. Woodley and D.M. Worrall",

note = "Original article can be found at: http://www.iop.org/EJ/journal/apjl Copyright American Astronomical Society DOI: 10.1086/587960 [Full text of this article is not available in the UHRA]",

year = "2008",

doi = "10.1086/587960",

language = "English",

volume = "677",

pages = "L27--L30",

journal = "The Astrophysical Journal",

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Sivakoff, GR, Kraft, RP, Jordan, A, Juett, AM, Evans, DA, Forman, WR, Hardcastle, MJ, Sarazin, CL, Birkinshaw, M, Brassington, N, Croston, JH, Harris, WF, Jones, C, Murray, SS, Raychaudhury, S, Woodley, KA & Worrall, DM 2008, 'A Transient Black-Hole Low-Mass X-Ray Binary Candidate in Centaurus A', The Astrophysical Journal, vol. 677, pp. L27-L30. https://doi.org/10.1086/587960

TY - JOUR

T1 - A Transient Black-Hole Low-Mass X-Ray Binary Candidate in Centaurus A

AU - Sivakoff, G.R.

AU - Kraft, R.P.

AU - Jordan, A.

AU - Juett, A.M.

AU - Evans, D.A.

AU - Forman, W.R.

AU - Hardcastle, M.J.

AU - Sarazin, C.L.

AU - Birkinshaw, M.

AU - Brassington, Nicola

AU - Croston, J.H.

AU - Harris, W.F.

AU - Jones, C.

AU - Murray, S.S.

AU - Raychaudhury, S.

AU - Woodley, K.A.

AU - Worrall, D.M.

N1 - Original article can be found at: http://www.iop.org/EJ/journal/apjl Copyright American Astronomical Society DOI: 10.1086/587960 [Full text of this article is not available in the UHRA]

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - We report the discovery of a bright transient X-ray source, CXOU J132518.2–430304, toward Centaurus A (Cen A) using six new Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations in 2007 March-May. Between 2003 and 2007, its flux has increased by a factor of >770. The source is likely a low-mass X-ray binary in Cen A with unabsorbed 0.3-10 keV band luminosities of (2-3) × 1039ergs s−1 and a transition from the steep-power-law state to the thermal state during our observations. CXOU J132518.2–430304 is the most luminous X-ray source in an early-type galaxy with extensive timing information that reveals transience and a spectral state transition. Combined with its luminosity, these properties make this source one of the strongest candidates to date for containing a stellar-mass black hole in an early-type galaxy. Unless this outburst lasts many years, the rate of luminous transients in Cen A is anomalously high compared to other early-type galaxies.

AB - We report the discovery of a bright transient X-ray source, CXOU J132518.2–430304, toward Centaurus A (Cen A) using six new Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations in 2007 March-May. Between 2003 and 2007, its flux has increased by a factor of >770. The source is likely a low-mass X-ray binary in Cen A with unabsorbed 0.3-10 keV band luminosities of (2-3) × 1039ergs s−1 and a transition from the steep-power-law state to the thermal state during our observations. CXOU J132518.2–430304 is the most luminous X-ray source in an early-type galaxy with extensive timing information that reveals transience and a spectral state transition. Combined with its luminosity, these properties make this source one of the strongest candidates to date for containing a stellar-mass black hole in an early-type galaxy. Unless this outburst lasts many years, the rate of luminous transients in Cen A is anomalously high compared to other early-type galaxies.

U2 - 10.1086/587960

DO - 10.1086/587960

M3 - Article

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 677

SP - L27-L30

JO - The Astrophysical Journal

JF - The Astrophysical Journal

ER -

A Transient Black-Hole Low-Mass X-Ray Binary Candidate in Centaurus A

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