SearcharxivSearch

arXiv · 2103.03707

SALT observations of the supernova remnant MCSNR J0127-7332 and its associated Be X-ray binary SXP 1062 in the SMC

Abstract

We report the results of optical spectroscopy of the Small Magellanic Cloud supernova remnant (SNR) MCSNR J0127-7332 and the mass donor Be star, 2dFS 3831, in its associated high-mass X-ray binary SXP 1062 carried out with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT). Using high-resolution long-slit spectra, we measured the expansion velocity of the SNR shell of \approx 140 km/s, indicating that MCSNR J0127-7332 is in the radiative phase. We found that the observed line ratios in the SNR spectrum can be understood if the local interstellar medium is ionized by 2dFS 3831 and/or OB stars around the SNR. We propose that MCSNR J0127-7332 is the result of supernova explosion within a bubble produced by the stellar wind of the supernova progenitor and that the bubble was surrounded by a massive shell at the moment of supernova explosion. We estimated the age of MCSNR J0127-7332 to be \la 10 000 yr. We found that the spectrum of 2dFS 3831 changes with orbital phase. Namely, the equivalent width of the Halpha emission line decreased by \approx 40 per cent in \approx 130 d after periastron passage of the neutron star and then almost returned to its original value in the next \approx 100 d. Also, the spectrum of 2dFS 3831 obtained closest to the periastron epoch (about three weeks after the periastron) shows a noticeable emission line of He II λ4686, which disappeared in the next about two weeks. We interpret these changes as a result of the temporary perturbation and heating of the disk as the neutron star passes through it.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

V. V. Gvaramadze, A. Y. Kniazev, J. S. Gallagher, L. M. Oskinova, Y. -H. Chu, R. A. Gruendl, I. Y. Katkov. 2021-03-04. SALT observations of the supernova remnant MCSNR J0127-7332 and its associated Be X-ray binary SXP 1062 in the SMC. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras%2Fstab679

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

IceCube neutrino point-source searches in the direction of the KM3NeT ultra-high-energy event

While still under construction, the KM3NeT Astroparticle Research with Cosmics in the Abyss (ARCA) detector recorded a $\sim$200 PeV neutrino on February 13th, 2023. This event is the highest-energy neutrino reported. IceCube, a cubic kilometer neutrino detector located at the geographic South Pole, has previously detected neutrinos up to approximately 10 PeV. We search for high-energy neutrinos from the location of the KM3NeT event using 15 years of IceCube data and considering three temporal hypotheses: steady or flaring in time coincidence, or at an arbitrary time. We find no evidence for neutrino emission for any of the studies performed. Correspondingly, we set upper limits on the neutrino flux from a point source in the direction of KM3-230213A. We compare these limits to KM3NeT's estimated flux and show that an astrophysical explanation of this event is strongly constrained for a variety of spectral assumptions for a steady or transient point source with the flux inferred from the single KM3NeT ultra-high-energy event assuming a spectral index of 2.0.

astro-ph.HE

Evidence for the binary nature of the long-period radio transient ASKAP/DART J1832-0911

Long-period transients are a class of periodic pulsed radio source repeating on the minute to hour timescale. Recently, an increasing number of them are being identified as binary systems, specifically white dwarfs with low-mass main-sequence companions. In this work we analyse the most luminous long-period transient discovered to date, ASKAP/DART J1832-0911, with two years of radio data, and propose that it, too, may be a white dwarf system, although in a far more compact orbit than the aforementioned. The pulses are composed of quasi-periodic components which evolve in a systematic way over days and months. The source is highly linearly or elliptically polarised and its brightness enabled very high signal-to-noise measurement of the time-resolved Faraday rotation measure, which was found to vary across pulse phase. The linear polarisation position angle, circular polarised fraction, and spectral index also varied systematically in ways not typical of pulsars and magnetars. We show that an ultra-compact asynchronous polar explains much of the phenomenology of ASKAP/DART J1832-0911, in particular the evolution of the pulse morphology, rotation measure variation, and periodic X-ray emission, although we cannot conclusively prove a binary nature. However, our model makes testable predictions.

astro-ph.HE

Nonbirefringent model of orthogonal polarization modes in radio pulsars - New view on S swing and mode structure in pulsar beam

Two orthogonal polarization modes observed in radio pulsar signals have long been attributed to proper modes of wave oscillation in strongly magnetized plasma. Yet it has been shown recently that they show up readily for extended emission regions that produce incoherently-superposed polarization signal. In this paper we present a two-dimensional polarization model based on incoherent superposition of radio signals. The model involves a single proper mode, say the O mode, but leads to the appearance of two orthogonal polarization tracks and naturally produces the triple form of polarization mode segregation in averaged profiles (central mode flanked on boths sides by another mode), as well as the displacement of modes in latitude, previously inferred from beam mapping. In the case of conal emission regions, the modelled polarization tends to mimic general polarization properties of the rotating vector model (RVM). However, the reason for this is the symmetry of the emission region - not the usual projection of dipolar magnetic azimuths. Thus the emerging RVM parameters reveal geometry of the emission region, not of the dipolar magnetic field. The results strongly support the vital role of nonbirefringent modal effects in radio pulsar profiles. Two proper modes may not be needed to explain observations of two orthogonal polarization tracks.

astro-ph.HE