High mass X-ray binary luminosity function (XLF) is an important tool for studying binary evolution processes and also the mass loss and consequent evolution in massive stars. We calculate the XLF for neutron star binaries using the standard scenario for formation and evolution of these systems. A one to one relation between primordial binary parameters and the HMXB parameters is established. The probability density function is then transformed using the standard Jacobian formalism. It is shown that the model successfully explains some basic properties of the observed XLF.
Ultra-compact X-ray binaries (UCXBs) are accreting systems with periods less than 1 hour, which qualifies them to contain a degenerate donor-companion. One would expect such systems to have the easiest theoretical explanation, compared to other kinds of X-ray binaries. Nonetheless, current theory fails to explain high mass transfer (MT) rates in three recently well observed long-period UCXBs. We find that this range of MT rates can be maintained if the donor is a remnant of an out-of-thermal-equilibrium naked core of a giant which was revealed in a very recent episode of a common envelope (CE)…
Context. X-ray binaries are usually divided in persistent and transient sources. For ultracompact X-ray binaries (UCXBs), the mass transfer rate is expected to be a strong function of orbital period, predicting persistent sources at short periods and transients at long periods. Aims. For 14 UCXBs including two candidates, we investigate the long-term variability and average luminosity with the purpose of learning how often a source can be expected to be visible above a given luminosity, and we compare the derived luminosities with the theoretical predictions. Methods. We use data from the RXTE…
A recent study of a small sample of X-ray binaries (XRBs) suggests a significant softening of spectra of neutron star (NS) binaries as compared to black hole (BH) binaries in the luminosity range 10$^{34}$ - 10$^{37}$ erg/s. This softening is quantified as an anticorrelation between the spectral index and the 0.5 - 10 keV X-ray luminosity. We extend the study to significantly lower luminosities (i.e., $\sim$ a few $\times$ $10^{30}$ erg/s) for a larger sample of XRBs. We find evidence for a significant anticorrelation between the spectral index and the luminosity for a group of NS binaries in …
The X-ray luminosity functions of galaxies have become a useful tool for population studies of X-ray binaries in them. The availability of long term light-curves of X-ray binaries with the All Sky X-ray Monitors opens up the possibility of constructing X-ray luminosity functions, by also including the intensity variation effects of the galactic X-ray binaries. We have constructed multiple realizations of the X-ray luminosity functions (XLFs) of Milky Way, using the long term light-curves of sources obtained in the 2-10 keV energy band with the RXTE-ASM. The observed spread seen in the value of…
We introduce a method for obtaining the X-ray luminosity function (XLF) and the binary-period distribution of populations of high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) in the stellar fields (i.e. outside globular clusters) of normal galaxies. We start from standard distributions of the parameters of those primordial binaries which are the progenitors of HMXBs, and follow the transformation of these ditributions with the aid of a Jacobian formalism as the former evolve into the latter through the processes of the first mass transfer and the supernova (SN) that follows. We discuss the distributions of the…
There are over 100 Be stars that are known to have neutron star companions but only one such system with a black hole. Previous theoretical work suggests this is not due to their formation but due to differences in X-ray luminosity. It has also been proposed that the truncation of the Be star's circumstellar disc is dependent on the mass of the compact object. Hence, Be star discs in black hole binaries are smaller. Since accretion onto the compact object from the Be star's disc is what powers the X-ray luminosity, a smaller disc in black hole systems leads to a lower luminosity. In this paper…
In this paper we investigate the relation between the maximal luminosity of X-ray outburst and the orbital period in transient low mass X-ray binaries (or soft X-ray transients) observed by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) in the past decade. We find that the maximal luminosity (3-200 keV) in Eddington unit generally increases with increasing orbital period, which does not show a luminosity saturation but in general agrees with theoretical prediction. The peak luminosities in ultra-compact binaries might be higher than those with orbital period of 2-4 h, but more data are needed to make …
We report on the main results obtained thanks to an observation campaign with XMM-Newton of four persistent, low-luminosity (Lx ~ 10^34 erg/s) and long-period (P > 200 s) Be accreting pulsars. We found that all sources considered here are characterized by a spectral excess that can be described with a blackbody component of high temperature (kTbb > 1 keV) and small area (Rbb < 0.5 km). We show that: 1) this feature is a common property of several low-luminosity X-ray binaries; 2) for most sources the blackbody parameters (radius and temperature) are within a narrow range of values; 3) it can b…
The INTEGRAL archive developed at INAF-IASF Milano with the available public observations from late 2002 to 2016 is investigated to extract the X-ray properties of 58 High Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXBs). This sample consists of sources hosting either a Be star (Be/XRBs) or an early-type supergiant companion (SgHMXBs), including the Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients (SFXTs). INTEGRAL light curves (sampled at 2 ks) are used to build their hard X-ray luminosity distributions, returning the source duty cycles, the range of variability of the X-ray luminosity and the time spent in each luminosity state…
We analyze a flux-limited sample of persistent and bright (with 2-10 keV fluxes exceeding 1.4e-10 erg/s/cm2) low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) in our Galaxy. It is demonstrated that the majority of binary systems with X-ray luminosities below logL(erg/sec)~37.3 have unevolved secondary companions (except for those with white dwarf donors), while systems with higher X-ray luminosity predominantly harbor giant donors. Mass transfer in binary systems with giants significantly shortens their life time thus steepening the X-ray luminosity function of LMXBs at high luminosity. We argue that this is th…
Ultracompact X-ray binaries (UCXBs) are thought to have relatively simple binary evolution post-contact, leading to clear predictions of their luminosity function. We test these predictions by studying the long-term behavior of known UCXBs in our Galaxy, principally using data from the MAXI All-Sky Survey and the Galactic Bulge Scans with RXTE's PCA instrument. Strong luminosity variations are common (and well-documented) among persistent UCXBs, which requires an explanation other than the disk instability mechanism. We measure the luminosity function of known UCXBs in the Milky Way, which ext…
We propose the new scenario for X-ray outbursts in Be/X-ray binaries that normal and giant outbursts are respectively caused by radiatively inefficient accretion flows (RIAFs) and Bondi-Hoyle-Lyttleton (BHL) accretion of the material transferred from the outermost part of a Be disk misaligned with the binary orbital plane. Based on simulated mass-transfer rates from misaligned Be disks, together with simplified accretion flow models, we show that mass-accretion rates estimated from the luminosity of the normal X-ray outbursts are consistent with those obtained with advection-dominated accretio…
The hard to soft state transition of the outbursts in X-ray binaries (XRBs) is triggered by the rising of the mass accretion rate due to the disk instability. In order to explain the observed correlation between the hard X-ray transition luminosity and the soft X-ray peak luminosity in the soft state, we construct a magnetic disk-outflow model for the state transition in XRBs. We assume that the large-scale magnetic field in the outer thin disk is formed through inverse cascade of small-scale dynamo generated field, and it is then advected by the inner advection dominated accretion flow (ADAF)…
Using X-ray monitoring observations with the ASM on board the RXTE and the BAT on board the Swift, we are able to study the spectral state transitions occurred in about 20 bright persistent and transient black hole and neutron star binaries. We have confirmed that there is a correlation between the X-ray luminosity corresponding to the hard-to-soft transition and the X-ray luminosity of the following soft state. This correlation holds over a luminosity range spanning by two orders of magnitude, with no indication of a flux saturation or cut-off. We have also found that the transition luminosit…
Massive black hole binaries are naturally predicted in the context of the hierarchical model of structure formation. The binaries that manage to lose most of their angular momentum can coalesce to form a single remnant. In the last stages of this process, the holes undergo an extremely loud phase of gravitational wave emission, possibly detectable by current and future probes. The theoretical effort towards obtaining a coherent physical picture of the binary path down to coalescence is still underway. In this paper, for the first time, we take advantage of observational studies of active galac…
We study an influence of X-ray photo-ionization from an accreting neutron star in a high mass X-ray binary. Our aim is to unveil a new principle governing X-ray luminosities of X-ray binaries, with a simple analysis of fluid equations simulating line-driven wind flow under influence of X-ray irradiation. In this study, we solve equation of motion of the accretion flow taking into account the line-driven acceleration and X-ray photo-ionization. Under the influence of X-ray irradiation, we find the flow equations take two types of solutions. The first solution is characterized by a slow wind vel…
Low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) are systems in which a low-mass companion transfers mass via Roche-lobe overflow onto a black hole (BH) or a weakly magnetized neutron star (NS). It is believed that both the solid surface and the magnetic field of an NS can affect the accretion flow and show some observable effects. Using the disk emission dominant data, we compare the disk evolution of the two types of systems from low luminosity to super-Eddington luminosity. As the luminosity decreases the disk in the NS LMXB 4U1608--522 begins to leave the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) at much high…
Evidence for a luminosity-class dichotomy in the supergiant donors of persistent high-mass X-ray binaries and supergiant fast X-ray transients
INAF-IASF Milano, Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica（意大利国家天体物理研究所米兰空间天体物理学与宇宙物理学研究所）；INAF-OAS, Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio（意大利国家天体物理研究所太空天体物理学与空间科学观测站）
Motivated by the large body of literature around the phenomenological properties of accreting black hole (BH) and neutron star (NS) X-ray binaries in the radio:X-ray luminosity plane, we carry out a comparative regression analysis on 36 BHs and 41 NSs in hard X-ray states, with data over 7 dex in X-ray luminosity for both. The BHs follow a radio to X-ray (logarithmic) luminosity relation with slope $β=0.59\pm0.02$, consistent with the NSs' slope ($β=0.44^{+0.05}_{-0.04}$) within 2.5$σ$. The best-fitting intercept for the BHs significantly exceeds that for the NSs, cementing BHs as more radio l…
We study the energy-dependent time lags and rms fractional amplitude of the kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs) of a group of neutron-star low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). We find that for the lower kHz QPO the slope of the best-fitting linear model to the time-lag spectrum and the total rms amplitude integrated over the 2 to 25 keV energy band both decrease exponentially with the luminosity of the source. For the upper kHz QPO the slope of the time-lag spectrum is consistent with zero, while the total rms amplitude decreases exponentially with the luminosity of the source. We sho…
Using an updated population synthesis code initially developed by Hurley et al. we modeled the synthetic X-ray binary (XRB) populations for direct comparison with the universal, featureless X-ray luminosity function (XLF) of high mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) in star-forming galaxies. Our main goal is to use the universal XLF to constrain the model parameters, given the current knowledge of binary evolution. We find that the one-dimensional (1D) Maxwellian velocity dispersion of the natal kick can be constrained to be of the order of ~150km/s, supporting earlier findings that neutron stars (NSs)…
The dynamical and radiative properties of the quiescent state (X-ray luminosity $<10^{34}\ {\rm erg s^{-1} cm^{-2}}$) of black hole X-ray transients (BHXTs) remains unclear, mainly because of low-luminosity and poor data quantity. We demonstrate that, the simultaneous multi-wavelength (including radio, optical, ultraviolet and X-ray bands) spectrum of V404 Cyg in its bright quiescent state can be well described by the radiation from the companion star and more importantly, the compact jet. Neither the outer thin disc nor the inner hot accretion flow is important in the total spectrum. Together…
We have studied X-ray spectral state transitions that can be seen in the long- term monitoring light curves of bright X-ray binaries from the All-Sky Monitor (ASM) on board the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) and the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) on board Swift during a period of five years from 2005 to 2010. We have applied a program to automatically identify the hard-to-soft (H-S) spectral state transitions in the bright X- ray binaries monitored by the ASM and the BAT. In total we identified 128 hard-to-soft transitions, of which 59 occurred after 2008. We also determined the transition fl…
X-ray luminosity function of high-mass X-ray binaries: Studying the signatures of different physical processes using detailed binary evolution calculations
We compare the peak optical luminosity with the orbital period for a sample of 22 stellar-mass black hole candidates with good measurements of both quantities. We find that the peak absolute magnitude for the outbursts follows a linear relation with $M_{V,peak}=3.48 (\pm 0.85)-3.89 (\pm 0.91) {\rm log}P_{orb}$, which corresponds to a $L_V \propto P_{orb}^{1.56\pm 0.36}$ power law relation. Excluding V4641 Sgr which is a strong outlier and not likely to have outbursts produced by the standard disc instability model, in addition to BW Cir and V821 Ara -- both of which have highly uncertain dista…
In 2003-2012, the INTEGRAL observatory has performed long-term observations of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). At present, this is one of the deepest hard X-ray (20-60 keV) surveys of extragalactic fields in which more than 20 sources of different natures have been detected. We present the results of a statistical analysis of the population of high-mass X-ray binaries in the LMC and active galactic nuclei (AGNs) observed in its direction. The hard X-ray luminosity function of high-mass X-ray binaries is shown to be described by a power law with a slope alpha~1.8, that in agreement with the l…
We investigate the observed correlation between the 2--10 keV X-ray luminosity (in unit of the Eddington luminosity; $l_X \equiv L_X/L_{Edd}$) and the photon index ($Γ$) of the X-ray spectrum for both black hole X-ray binaries (BHBs) and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We construct a large sample, with $10^{-9} < l_X < 10^{-1}$. We find that $Γ$ is positively and negatively correlated with $l_X$ when $l_X > 10^{-3}$ and $10^{-6.5} < l_X < 10^{-3}$ respectively, while $Γ$ is nearly a constant when $l_X < 10^{-6.5}$. We explain the above correlation in the framework of a coupled hot accretion flo…
Calibrating X-ray binary luminosity functions via optical reconnaissance II. The high-mass XLF and globular cluster population of X-ray binaries in the low star-forming spiral M81
The correlation between the kinetic power $P_{\rm jet}$ and intrinsic bolometric luminosity $L_{\rm jet}$ of jets may reveal the underlying jet physics in various black hole systems. Based on the recent work by Nemmen et al. (2012), we re-investigate this correlation with additional sources of black-hole X-ray binaries (BXBs) in hard/quiescent states and low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGNs). The new sample includes 29 sets of data from 7 BXBs and 20 LLAGNs, with $P_{\rm jet}$ and $L_{\rm jet}$ being derived from spectral modeling of the quasi-simultaneous multi-band spectra under the…
[abridged] The radio:X-ray correlation for hard and quiescent state black hole X-ray binaries is critically investigated in this paper. New observations of known sources, along with newly discovered ones, have resulted in an increasingly large number of outliers lying well outside the scatter about the quoted best-fit relation. Here, we employ and compare state of the art data clustering techniques in order to identify and characterize different data groupings within the radio:X-ray luminosity plane for 18 hard and quiescent state black hole X-ray binaries with nearly simultaneous multi-wavele…
Gamma-ray loud X-ray binaries are binary systems that show non-thermal broadband emission from radio to gamma rays. If the system comprises a massive star and a young non-accreting pulsar, their winds will collide producing broadband non-thermal emission, most likely originated in the shocked pulsar wind. Thermal X-ray emission is expected from the shocked stellar wind, but until now it has neither been detected nor studied in the context of gamma-ray binaries. We present a semi-analytic model of the thermal X-ray emission from the shocked stellar wind in pulsar gamma-ray binaries, and find th…
We use the measured X-ray luminosity function (XLF) of high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) in nearby star-forming galaxies to constrain the common envelope (CE) mechanisms, which play a key role in governing the binary evolution. We find that the XLF can be reproduced quite closely under both CE mechanisms usually adopted, i.e., the $α_{\rm CE}$ formalism and the $γ$ algorithm, with a reasonable range of parameters considered. Provided that the parameter combination is the same, the $γ$ algorithm is likely to produce more HMXBs than the $α_{\rm CE}$ formalism, by a factor of up to $\sim$ 10. In t…
We have carried out radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of thermally-driven accretion disc winds in low-mass X-ray binaries. Our main goal is to study the luminosity dependence of these outflows and compare with observations. The simulations span the range $\rm{0.04 \leq L_{acc}/L_{Edd} \leq 1.0}$ and therefore cover most of the parameter space in which disc winds have been observed. Using a detailed Monte Carlo treatment of ionization and radiative transfer, we confirm two key results found in earlier simulations that were carried out in the optically thin limit: (i) the wind velocity -- and h…
Observations of the black hole X-ray binaries GX 339-4 and V404 Cygni have brought evidence of a strong correlation between radio and X-ray emission during the hard spectral state; however, now more and more sources, the so-called `outliers', are found with a radio emission noticeably below the established `standard' relation. Several explanations have already been considered, but the existence of dual tracks is not yet fully understood. We suggest that in the hard spectral state re-condensation of gas from the corona into a cool, weak inner disk can provide additional soft photons for Compton…
Using a spectral analysis of bright Chandra X-ray sources located in 27 nearby galaxies and maps of star-formation rate (SFR) and ISM surface densities for these galaxies, we constructed the intrinsic X-ray luminosity function (XLF) of luminous high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs), taking into account absorption effects and the diversity of HMXB spectra. The XLF per unit SFR can be described by a power law dN/d log L=2.0(L/10^39 erg/s)^(-0.6) (M_Sun/yr)^(-1) from L=10^38 to 10^40.5 erg/s, where L is the unabsorbed luminosity at 0.25-8 keV. The intrinsic number of luminous HMXBs per unit SFR is a f…
The disk luminosity deficit as a tracer of receding disk during Soft-to-Hard transitions in Black Hole X-ray Binaries
Wuhan University（武汉大学）；Nanjing University（南京大学）；Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)（中国科学院上海天文台）；Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center, Polish Academy of Sciences（波兰科学院尼古拉·哥白尼天文中心）
Current X-ray observatories make it possible to follow the evolution of transient and variable X-ray binaries across a broad range in luminosity and source behavior. In such studies, it can be unclear whether evolution in the low energy portion of the spectrum should be attributed to evolution in the source, or instead to evolution in neutral photoelectric absorption. Dispersive spectrometers make it possible to address this problem. We have analyzed a small but diverse set of X-ray binaries observed with the Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer across a range in luminosity an…
Black hole X-ray binaries (BHXBs) show rich phenomenology in the spectral and timing properties. We collected the spectral data of 20 BHXBs from the literature across different spectral states. The spectral properties are studied in the forms of the inner disc temperature ($T_{\rm in}$), photon index ($Γ$), hot electron temperature ($kT_{\rm e}$), X-ray flux ($F_{\rm X}$) and luminosity ($L_{\rm X}$). We studied various correlations among different spectral parameters to understand the accretion process on a global scale. In the thermal soft states (TSS), we find most of the sources followed $…
A large number of new "black widow" and "redback" energetic millisecond pulsars with irradiated stellar companions have been discovered through radio and optical searches of unidentified \textit{Fermi} sources. Synchrotron emission, from particles accelerated up to several TeV in the intrabinary shock, exhibits modulation at the binary orbital period. Our simulated double-peaked X-ray light curves modulated at the orbital period, produced by relativistic Doppler-boosting along the intrabinary shock, are found to qualitatively match those observed in many sources. In this model, redbacks and tr…
The population of the Galactic X-ray binaries has been mostly probed with moderately sensitive hard X-ray surveys so far. The eRosita mission will provide, for the first time a sensitive all-sky X-ray survey in the 2-10 keV energy range, where the X-ray binaries emit most of the flux and discover the still unobserved low-luminosity population of these objects. In this paper, we briefly review the current constraints for the X-ray luminosity functions of high- and low-mass X-ray binaries and present our own analysis based the INTEGRAL 9-year Galactic survey, which yields improved constraints. B…
Colliding wind binaries (CWBs) have been considered as a possible high energy $γ$-ray sources for some time, however no system other than $η$ Car has been detected. In the paper a sample of seven CWBs (WR 11, WR 70, WR 137, WR 140, WR 146, WR 147) which, by means of theoretic modelling, were deemed most promising candidates, was analyzed using almost 7 years of the Fermi-LAT data. WR 11 ($γ^2$ Vel) was detected at 6.1$σ$ confidence level with a photon flux in 0.1-100 GeV range $(1.8\pm0.6)\times10^{-9}~\mathrm{ph~cm^{-2}~s^{-1}}$ and an energy flux $(2.7\pm0.5)\times10^{-12}~~\mathrm{erg~cm^{-…
Based on the archival data from the Chandra observations of nearby galaxies, we study different sub populations of low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) - dynamically formed systems in globular clusters (GCs) and in the nucleus of M31 and (presumably primordial) X-ray binaries in the fields of galaxies. Our aim is to produce accurate luminosity distributions of X-ray binaries in different environments, suitable for quantitative comparison with each other and with the output of population synthesis calculations. Our sample includes seven nearby galaxies (M31, Maffei 1, Centaurus A,M81, NGC 3379, NGC …
Black holes in binary star systems are vital for understanding the process of pr oducing gravitational wave sources, understanding how supernovae work, and for p roviding fossil evidence for the high mass stars from earlier in the Universe. At the present time, sample sizes of these objects, and especially of black hole s in binaries, are quite limited. Furthermore, more precise measurements of the binary parameters are needed, as well. With improvements primarily in X-ray an d radio astronomy capabilities, it should be possible to build much larger sampl es of much better measured black hole …
We present a study of the faint-end of the X-ray Luminosity Function of Low Mass X-ray binaries in the Globular Cluster system of the cD galaxy NGC 1399 by performing a stacking experiment on 618 X-ray undetected GCs, in order to verify the presence of faint LMXBs and to constrain the faint-end slope of the GC-LMXBs XLF below the individual detection threshold of $8\times10^{37}$ erg s$^{-1}$ in the $0.5-8$ keV band. We obtain a significant X-ray detection for the whole GC sample, as well as for the red and blue GC subpopulations, corresponding to an average luminosity per GC $<L_{X}>_{GC}$ of…
We have systematically studied a large sample of the neutron star low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) monitored by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (50 sources; 10000+ observations). We find that the hysteresis patterns between Compton dominated and thermal dominated states, typically observed in black hole LMXBs, are also common in neutron star systems. These patterns, which also sample intermediate states, are found when looking at the evolution of both X-ray colour and fast variability of ten systems accreting below ~ 30 % of the Eddington Luminosity. We show that hysteresis does not require lar…
In this work, we measure two important phenomenological parameters of corona (and hot accretion flow) in black hole X-ray binaries: the photon index $Γ$ and the electron temperature $\te$. Thanks to the capability of {\it NuSTAR} in hard X-rays, we measure these two parameters over six orders of magnitude in the 0.1-100 keV X-ray luminosity $\lx$, from $\sim 5\times10^{38} \ergs$ down to as low as $\sim 5\times10^{32} \ergs$. We confirm the existence of a "V"-shaped correlation between $Γ$ and $\lx$. Surprisingly, we observe a "$Λ$"-shaped correlation between $\te$ and $\lx$. The "cooler when …
Some ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) exhibit X-ray pulses, and their central sources are thought to be neutron stars. It has also been suggested that some are transient sources with Be-type donors. In this study, we use the mass accretion model of a Be-type high mass X-ray binary (BeHMXB) to estimate the conditions under which a giant X-ray burst caused by a BeHMXB exceeds the Eddington luminosity. Moreover, we investigate the duration for which BeHMXBs can be observed as transient ULXs with bursts above the Eddington luminosity during binary evolutions. The results indicate that BeHMXBs co…
We study the evolution and gravitational wave emission of white dwarf -- black hole accreting binaries with a semi-analytical model. These systems will evolve across the mHz gravitational wave frequency band and potentially be detected by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). We identify new universal relations for this class of binaries, which relate the component masses to the gravitational wave frequency and its first derivative. Combined with the high precision measurements possible with LISA, these relations could allow us to infer the component masses and the luminosity distance…
The usage of cumulative luminosity distributions, constructed thanks to the long-term observations available through wide field hard X-ray imagers, has been recently exploited to study the averaged high energy emission (>17 keV) from Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients (SFXTs) and classical Supergiant High Mass X-ray Binaries (SgXBs). Here, we take advantage of the long term monitorings now available with Swift/XRT to construct for the first time the cumulative luminosity distributions of a number of SFXTs and the classical SgXB IGR J18027-2016 in the soft X-ray domain with a high sensitivity foc…
We analyzed in a systematic way the public INTEGRAL observations spanning from December 2002 to September 2016, to investigate the hard X-ray properties of about 60 High Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXBs). We considered both persistent and transient sources, hosting either a Be star (Be/XRBs) or a blue supergiant companion (SgHMXBs, including Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients, SFXTs), a neutron star or a black hole. INTEGRAL X-ray light curves (18-50 keV), sampled at a bin time of about 2 ks, were extracted for all HMXBs to derive the cumulative distribution of their hard X-ray luminosity, their duty …
We study the populations of X-ray sources in the Milky Way in the 15-55 keV band using a deep survey with the BAT instrument aboard the Swift observatory. We present the logN-logS distributions of the various source types and we analyze their variability and spectra. For the low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) and the high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) we derive the luminosity functions to a limiting luminosity of L_X~7 times10^{34} erg s/s. Our results confirm the previously found flattening of the LMXB luminosity function below a luminosity of L_X~10^{37} erg s/s. The luminosity function of the HM…
The radio/X-ray correlation is one of the most important pieces of observational evidence of the disk-jet connection in accreting compact objects. However, a growing number of X-ray binaries seem to present deviations from the universal radio/X-ray correlation and the origin of these outliers are still very much debated. In previous studies, the X-ray bolometric luminosity used in the radio/X-ray correlation has been estimated using a narrow, soft X-ray band. We study how estimating the X-ray bolometric luminosity using broadband observations of X-ray binaries affects the radio/X-ray correlati…
We have selected a sample of 30 normal (non-cD) early type galaxies, for all of which optical spectroscopy is available, and which have been observed with Chandra to a depth such to insure the detection of bright low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) with Lx>1e38 erg/s. This sample includes a larger fraction of gas-poor galaxies than previously studied samples, and covers a wide range of stellar luminosity, velocity dispersion, GC specific frequency, and stellar age. We derive X-ray luminosities (or upper limits) from the different significant X-ray components of these galaxies: nuclei, detected and…
Luminosity of X-ray spectral state transitions in black hole and neutron star X-ray binaries can put constraint on the critical mass accretion rate between accretion regimes. Previous studies indicate that the hard-to-soft spectral state transitions in some ultracompact neutron star LMXBs have the lowest luminosity. With X-ray monitoring observations in the past decade, we were able to identify state transitions towards the lowest luminosity limit in 4U 0614+091, 2S 0918-549 and 4U 1246-588. By analysing corresponding X-ray pointed observations with the Swift/XRT and the RXTE/PCA, we found no …
We investigate the role of the compact object in the production of jets from neutron star X-ray binaries. The goal is to quantify the effect of the neutron star spin, if any, in powering the jet. We compile all the available measures or estimates of the neutron star spin frequency in jet-detected neutron star X-ray binaries. We use as an estimate of the ranking jet power for each source, the normalisation of the power law which fits the X-ray/radio and X-ray/infrared luminosity correlations L_(radio/IR) proportional to L_(X)^(Gamma) (using infrared data for which there is evidence for jet emis…
We show that the jet power $P_j$ and geometrically corrected $γ$-ray luminosity $L_γ$ for the X-ray binaries (XRBs) Cygnus X-1, Cygnus X-3, and V404 Cygni, and $γ$-ray upper limits for GRS 1915+105 and GX339-4, follow the universal scaling for the energetics of relativistic jets from black hole (BH) systems found by Nemmen et al. (2012) for blazars and GRBs. The observed peak $γ$-ray luminosity for XRBs is geometrically corrected; and the minimum jet power is estimated from the peak flux density of radio flares and the flare rise time. The $L_γ-P_j$ correlation holds across $\sim 17$ orders of…
We propose a mechanism of state transition in wind-fed black hole binaries (high-mass X-ray binaries) such as Cyg X-1 and LMC X-1. Modeling a line-driven stellar wind from the companion by two-dimensional hydrodynamical calculations, we investigate the processes of wind capture by and accretion onto the black hole. We assume that the wind acceleration is terminated at the He II ionization front because ions responsible for line-driven acceleration are ionized within the front, i.e. He III region. It is found that the mass accretion rate inferred from the luminosity is remarkably smaller than t…
By comparing the orbital period distributions of black hole and neutron star low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) in the Ritter-Kolb catalogue we show that there is statistical evidence for a dearth of black hole systems at short orbital periods (P_orb < 4h). This could either be due to a true divergence in orbital period distributions of these two types of system, or to black hole LMXBs being preferentially hidden from view at short orbital periods. We explore the latter possibility, by investigating whether black hole LMXBs could be concealed by a switch to radiatively inefficient accretion at lo…
We present the X-ray luminosity function (XLF) of low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) in the globular clusters (GCs) and fields of seven early-types galaxies. These galaxies are selected to have both deep Chandra observations, which allow their LMXB populations to be observed to X-ray luminosities of $10^{37}-10^{38}$ erg/s, and HST optical mosaics which enable the X-ray sources to be separated into field LMXBs, GC LMXBs, and contaminating background and foreground sources. We find that at all luminosities the number of field LMXBs per stellar mass is similar in these galaxies. This suggests that …
High mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) may have had a significant impact on the heating of the intergalactic medium in the early universe. Study of HMXBs in nearby, low metallicity galaxies that are local analogues to early galaxies can help us understand early HMXBs. The total luminosity of HMXB populations is dominated by sources at high luminosities. These sources exhibit X-ray spectra that show curvature above 2 keV and the same is likely true of HMXB populations at high redshifts. The spectral curvature changes the K-correction for X-rays from HMXBs in a manner that weakens the constraints on X…
