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arXiv · 0912.2951

The Magellanic Bridge: evidence for a population of X-ray binaries

V. A. McBride·A. J. Bird·M. J. Coe·L. J. Townsend·R. H. D. Corbet·F. Haberl
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Abstract

INTEGRAL observations of the Small Magellanic Cloud region have resulted in the serendipitous detection of two transient hard X-ray sources in the Magellanic Bridge. In this paper we present the timing and spectral characteristics of these sources across the 2-100 keV energy range, which, in conjunction with their optical counterparts, demonstrate that they are high mass X-ray binaries in the Magellanic Bridge. Together with one previously known high mass X-ray binary system, and three candidates, these sources represent an emerging population of X-ray binaries in the Bridge, probably initiated by tidally induced star formation as a result of the gravitational interaction between the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds.

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V. A. McBride, A. J. Bird, M. J. Coe, L. J. Townsend, R. H. D. Corbet, F. Haberl. 2009-12-15. The Magellanic Bridge: evidence for a population of X-ray binaries. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.16178.x

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