TY - JOUR
T1 - Deep Chandra Monitoring Observations of NGC 4278
T2 - Catalog of Source Properties
AU - Brassington, Nicola
AU - Fabbiano, G.
AU - Kim, D.-W.
AU - Zezas, A.
AU - Zepf, S.
AU - Kundu, A.
AU - Angelini, L.
AU - Davies, R. L.
AU - Gallagher, J.
AU - Kalogera, V.
AU - Fragos, T.
AU - King, A.R.
AU - Pellegrini, S.
AU - Trinchieri, G.
PY - 2009/4/1
Y1 - 2009/4/1
N2 - We present the properties of the discrete X-ray sources detected in our monitoring program of the globular cluster (GC) rich elliptical galaxy, NGC 4278, observed with Chandra ACIS-S in six separate pointings, resulting in a co-added exposure of 458 ks. From this deep observation, 236 sources have been detected within the region overlapped by all observations, 180 of which lie within the D 25 ellipse of the galaxy. These 236 sources range in L X from 3.5 × 1036 erg s-1 (with 3σ upper limit <=1 × 1037 erg s-1) to ~2 × 1040 erg s-1, including the central nuclear source which has been classified as a LINER. From optical data, 39 X-ray sources have been determined to be coincident with a GC, these sources tend to have high X-ray luminosity, with 10 of these sources exhibiting L X > 1 × 1038 erg s-1. From X-ray source photometry, it has been determined that the majority of the 236 point sources that have well-constrained colors have values that are consistent with typical low-mass X-ray binary spectra, with 29 of these sources expected to be background objects from the log N-log S relation. There are 103 sources in this population that exhibit long-term variability, indicating that they are accreting compact objects. Three of these sources have been identified as transient candidates, with a further three possible transients. Spectral variations have also been identified in the majority of the source population, where a diverse range of variability has been identified, indicating that there are many different source classes located within this galaxy.
AB - We present the properties of the discrete X-ray sources detected in our monitoring program of the globular cluster (GC) rich elliptical galaxy, NGC 4278, observed with Chandra ACIS-S in six separate pointings, resulting in a co-added exposure of 458 ks. From this deep observation, 236 sources have been detected within the region overlapped by all observations, 180 of which lie within the D 25 ellipse of the galaxy. These 236 sources range in L X from 3.5 × 1036 erg s-1 (with 3σ upper limit <=1 × 1037 erg s-1) to ~2 × 1040 erg s-1, including the central nuclear source which has been classified as a LINER. From optical data, 39 X-ray sources have been determined to be coincident with a GC, these sources tend to have high X-ray luminosity, with 10 of these sources exhibiting L X > 1 × 1038 erg s-1. From X-ray source photometry, it has been determined that the majority of the 236 point sources that have well-constrained colors have values that are consistent with typical low-mass X-ray binary spectra, with 29 of these sources expected to be background objects from the log N-log S relation. There are 103 sources in this population that exhibit long-term variability, indicating that they are accreting compact objects. Three of these sources have been identified as transient candidates, with a further three possible transients. Spectral variations have also been identified in the majority of the source population, where a diverse range of variability has been identified, indicating that there are many different source classes located within this galaxy.
KW - galaxies: individual: NGC 4278, X-rays: binaries, X-rays: galaxies
U2 - 10.1088/0067-0049/181/2/605
DO - 10.1088/0067-0049/181/2/605
M3 - Article
SN - 0067-0049
VL - 181
SP - 605
EP - 626
JO - Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series
JF - Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series
ER -