Supersoft X-ray emission from a white dwarf binary not powered by nuclear fusion
Thomas J. Maccarone, Thomas J. Nelson, Peter J. Brown, Koji Mukai, Philip A. Charles, Andry Rajoelimanana, David A. H. Buckley, Jay Strader, Laura Chomiuk, Chri… 展开作者
Thomas J. Maccarone, Thomas J. Nelson, Peter J. Brown, Koji Mukai, Philip A. Charles, Andry Rajoelimanana, David A. H. Buckley, Jay Strader, Laura Chomiuk, Christopher T. Britt, Saurabh W. Jha, Przemek Mróz, Andrzej Udalski, Michal K. Szymański, Igor Soszyński, Radosław Poleski, Szymon Kozłowski, Paweł Pietrukowicz, Jan Skowron, Krzysztof Ulaczyk
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15 pages, 4 figures, published in Nature Astronomy
Supersoft X-ray sources are stellar objects which emit X-rays with temperatures of about 1 million Kelvin and luminosities well in excess of what can be produced by stellar coronae. It has generally been presumed that the objects in this class are binary star systems in which mass transfer leads to nuclear fusion on the surface of a white dwarf. Classical novae, the runaway fusion events on the surfaces of white dwarfs, generally have supersoft phases, and it is often stated that the bright steady supersoft X-ray sources seen from white dwarfs accreting mass at a high rate are undergoing steady nuclear fusion. In this letter, we report the discovery of a transient supersoft source in the Small Magellanic Cloud without any signature of nuclear fusion having taken place. This discovery indicates that the X-ray emission probably comes from a "spreading layer" - a belt on the surface of the white dwarf near the inner edge of the accretion disk in which a large fraction of the total accretion energy is emitted - and (albeit more tentatively) that the accreting white dwarf is relatively massive. We thus establish that the presence of a supersoft source cannot always be used as a tracer of nuclear fusion, in contradiction with decades-old consensus about the nature of supersoft emission.
Type Ia supernovae are cosmic distance indicators, and the main source of iron in the Universe, but their formation paths are still debated. Several dozen supersoft X-ray sources, in which a white dwarf accretes hydrogen-rich matter from a non-degenerate donor star, have been observed and suggested as Type Ia supernovae progenitors. However, observational evidence for hydrogen, which is expected to be stripped off the donor star during the supernova explosion, is lacking. Helium-accreting white dwarfs, which would circumvent this problem, have been predicted for more than 30 years, also includ…
Multiwavelength search for counterparts of supersoft X-ray sources in M31
我们在哈勃空间望远镜(HST)的“全色哈勃仙女座宝库”(PHAT)档案图像和测光目录中搜索了M31中7个超软X射线源(SSS)的光学/UV/IR对应物。三个SSS是瞬态的,其他四个是持久性的来源。PHAT提供了机会,以确定SSS托管非常大的白矮星,可能爆炸的Ia型超新星在单一的简并双星,与典型的共生星,高质量的近距离双星,或系统的光度发光吸积盘的星等和颜色指数。我们发现的证据表明,瞬态SSS是经典的或经常性的新星,我们确定的两个可能的对应物可能是共生双星进行质量转移在一个非常高的速度。在其中一个持久源r3-8的误差圈内有一颗候选的吸积白矮星双星。在M31,r2-12中研究最充分的SSS的空间误差圆中,没有红巨星或AGB恒星在光学和紫外波段足够明亮,成为共生系统,承载吸积和氢燃烧的白矮星。该SSS具有周期为217.7 s的X射线通量的已知调制,并且我们测量了其导数的上限,0.82 x 10(-11)。这个极限可以与轨道周期为几小时的双星中高速吸积的白矮星的自转周期相一致。然而,没有发光的对应物具有典型的吸积盘由热的中心源照射的颜色指数。采用半经验关系,盘光学光度的上限意味着白矮星双星的轨道周期的上限只有169分钟。
We have examined the optical/X-ray light curves of seven well-observed recurrent novae, V745 Sco, M31N 2008-12a, LMC N 1968, U Sco, RS Oph, LMC N 2009a, T Pyx, and one recurrent nova candidate LMC N 2012a. Six novae out of the eight show a simple relation that the duration of supersoft X-ray source (SSS) phase is 0.70 times the total duration of the outburst ($=$ X-ray turnoff time), i.e., $t_{\rm SSS}=0.70 t_{\rm off}$, the total duration of which ranges from 10 days to 260 days. These six recurrent novae show a broad rectangular X-ray light curve shape, first half a period of which is highly…
The supersoft X-ray transient ASASSN-16oh as a thermonuclear runaway without mass ejection
Maccarone等人(2019年)将超软X射线和光学瞬态ASASSN-16 oh解释为由大质量白矮星上的吸积事件引起的,类似于矮新星超级爆发。这些作者认为,超软X射线光谱的起源与壳层核燃烧加热的大气不同,因为没有物质被喷射出来。相反,我们发现事件的时间尺度和其他特征是典型的非质量喷射热核逃逸,正如Shara等人(1977)和Yaron等人(2005)的新星模型的广泛网格所预测的那样。我们认为,低X射线和辐射热光度的核燃烧模型的预测相比,是由于光学厚的吸积盘,隐藏了大部分的白矮星表面。如果是这样的话,我们计算的光学瞬态可以解释为一个非喷射热核事件的WD $\simeq$ 1.1 M $_\odot$吸积率为$\simeq3.5{-}5{\times}10^{-7}$ M $_\odot$年$^{-1}$。我们的预测应该证明瞬态事件的性质是由于热核燃烧或吸积;观测证据应在未来几年内获得,因为一个新的爆发应该发生在事件的$\simeq$ 10-15年。
Supersoft X-ray sources (SSS) have been identified as white dwarfs accreting from binary companions and undergoing nuclear-burning of the accreted material on their surface. Although expected to be a relatively numerous population from both binary evolution models and their identification as Type Ia supernova progenitor candidates, given the very soft spectrum of SSSs relatively few are known. Here we report on the X-ray and optical properties of 1RXS J050526.3-684628, a previously unidentified accreting nuclear-burning white dwarf located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). XMM-Newton observ…
Supersoft X-ray sources (SSSs) are known as possible progenitors of Type Ia supernovae. The quasi-periodic variability has been detected in the optical light curves of SSSs. However, the exact origin of such quasi-periodic observable features remains a mystery. In this paper, we aim to reproduce the observed optical quasi-periodic variability of SSSs by proposing a white dwarf (WD) accretion model with a periodic mass transfer caused by the irradiation of supersoft X-ray onto the companion star. Methods. Assuming that a periodic mass transfer from the companion star to the WD can be caused whi…
The origin of the supersoft X-ray--optical/UV flux anticorrelation in the symbiotic binary AG Draconis
AG Draconis产生强烈的超软X射线辐射,在整个活动期和静止期,X射线和光/紫外辐射通量之间存在严格的线性关系。这一贡献的目的是确定的X射线发射源,并揭示所观察到的磁通量的关系的性质。为此,我们模型的X射线和紫外线观测与XMM牛顿,远紫外光谱从FUSE,低和高分辨率IUE光谱和光学/近红外光谱和/或光度观测。我们的分析表明,超软X射线辐射是由白矮星光球层产生的。X射线和远紫外线通量使明确确定其温度成为可能。超软X射线-光学/紫外通量的关系是由来自热恒星的可变风引起的。增强的热星风通过将莱曼连续谱中的高能光子再加工成光学/紫外光而产生光学爆发。
Nova Her 2021 (V1674 Her), which erupted on 2021 June 12, reached naked-eye brightness and has been detected from radio to $γ$-rays. An extremely fast optical decline of 2 magnitudes in 1.2 days and strong Ne lines imply a high-mass white dwarf. The optical pre-outburst detection of a 501.42s oscillation suggests a magnetic white dwarf. This is the first time that an oscillation of this magnitude has been detected in a classical nova prior to outburst. We report X-ray outburst observations from {\it Swift} and {\it Chandra} which uniquely show: (1) a very strong modulation of super-soft X-rays…
Classical supersoft X-ray sources (SSSs) are understood as close binary systems in which a massive white dwarf (WD) accretes from its companion at rates sustaining steady hydrogen burning on its surface generating bolometric luminosities of $10^{36}-2\times10^{38}$ erg/s. Here, we perform for the first time the global supersoft X-rays to near-infrared (NIR) spectral energy distribution (SED) for the brightest SSSs in LMC and SMC. We test a model in which the ultraviolet--NIR is dominated by the emission from a compact (unresolved) circumstellar nebula represented by the ionized gas out-flowing…
X-ray emission from counterparts of historical classical novae (CNe) in our Galaxy is studied. To this end, we use data from three SRG/eROSITA sky surveys in the hemisphere analyzed by the RU eROSITA consortium. Out of 309 historical CNe, X-ray emission has been detected from 52 sources with 0.3-2.3 keV luminosities in the $\rm L_X\approx 10^{30}\sim 10^{34}$ erg/s range. Among them, two sources have supersoft spectra and are associated with the post-nova supersoft X-ray emission. Hardness of X-ray spectra of some of the remaining sources tentatively suggests that magnetized white dwarfs (WDs)…
[HP99] 159 -- Properties of the first Supersoft X-ray Source with a Helium star donor
University of the Free State(自由州大学);University of Southampton(南安普顿大学);University of Oxford(牛津大学);South African Astronomical Observatory(南非天文台);University of Cape Town(开普敦大学);University of Warsaw(华沙大学)
Rapid Orbital Decay of Supersoft X-Ray Source WX Cen: a Surrounding Circumbinary Disk
School of Science, Qingdao University of Technology(青岛理工大学理学院);School of Physics and Electrical Information, Shangqiu Normal University(商丘师范学院物理与电子信息学院)
We monitored four supersoft sources - two persistent ones, CAL 83 and MR Vel, and the recent novae YZ Ret (Nova Ret 2020) and V1674 Her (Nova Her 2021) - with NICER. The two persistent SSS were observed with unvaried X-ray flux level and spectrum, respectively, 13 and 20 years after the last observations. Short period modulations of the supersoft X-ray source (SSS) appear where the spectrum of the luminous central source was fully visibl (in CAL 83 and V1674 Her) and were absent in YZ Ret and MR Vel, in which the flux originated in photoionized or shocked plasma, while the white dwarf (WD) was…
A Self-Consistent Model for a Full Cycle of Recurrent Novae -- Wind Mass Loss Rate and X-Ray Luminosity
在重现期非常短的新星M31 N 2008- 12 a中,前光学最大阶段的演化速度出乎意料地缓慢。为了获得合理的新星光变曲线,我们改进了我们的计算方法,一贯结合光学厚风解决方案的富氢信封白矮星(WD)的结构计算的Henyey型演化代码。风的质量损失率是正确的,具有较高的精度。我们计算了1.2和1.38Msun的WDs的光变曲线模型,质量吸积率分别对应于10年和1年的重现周期。爆发持续时间为590/29天,其中光学极大前位相为82/16天,分别对应于1.2/1.38M_sun。光学厚风开始于X射线闪光的末尾,并在超软X射线阶段的开始时停止。我们还提出了超软X射线光变曲线,包括一个提示X射线闪光和后来的超软X射线阶段。
We explore the possibility that soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) and anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) are powered by highly magnetized white dwarfs (B-WDs). We take a sample of SGRs and AXPs and provide the possible parameter space in mass, radius, and surface magnetic field based on their observed properties (period and its derivative) and the assumption that these sources obey the mass-radius relation derived for the B-WDs. The radius and magnetic field of B-WDs are adequate to explain energies in SGRs/AXPs as the rotationally powered energy. In addition, B-WDs also adequately explain the perpl…
Magnetically powered outbursts from white dwarf mergers
一颗白矮星双星的合并产生了一个差异旋转的物体,预计会产生强大的磁场。储存在差速旋转的动能部分耗散在磁主导的日冕,形成一个热的可变流出与喷射速度相当于$10^9$厘米秒$^{-1}$。流出物应该会携带大量的质量和能量持续数小时到数天,形成一个具有以下特征的膨胀火球。(i)火球最初是不透明的,它的内能主要是由被捕获的热辐射。储存的热量部分地转换为流的动能(通过绝热冷却)并部分地辐射出去。(ii)内部冲击在火球中发展并增加其辐射输出。(iii)发射能量的很大一部分在光学波段。因此,从合并中可以预期亮度为$L\sim 10^{41}-10^{42}$ erg s $^{-1}$且特征峰持续时间相当于1天的明亮光学瞬变。与经典新星或超新星不同,瞬变不涉及核能。峰值后的衰减反映了合并残留物中的差异旋转的阻尼。这样的爆发可以在当前和即将到来的光学调查中在本地宇宙中检测到。
We analyze temporal evolution of the number of accreting white dwarfs with shell hydrogen burning in semidetached and detached binaries. We consider a stellar system in which star formation lasts for 10 Gyr with a constant rate, as well as a system in which the same amount of stars is formed in a single burst lasting for 1 Gyr. Evolution of the number of white dwarfs is confronted to the evolution of occurrence rate of events that usually are identified with SN Ia or accretion-induced collapses, i.e. with accumulation of Chandrasekhar mass by a white dwarf or a merger of a pair of CO white dwa…