arXiv subjects

Aysun Akyuz

Publications and source records attributed to Aysun Akyuz.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Spectral and timing variability of the transient ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 4631 X-4

Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are among the best laboratories for studying super-Eddington accretion onto compact objects. We present a detailed spectral and timing analysis of the transient ULX NGC 4631 X-4 using archival Chandra, XMM-Newton, and Swift/XRT observations. The source exhibits pronounced spectral and flux variability on both short and long timescales, with luminosity variations exceeding two orders of magnitude. Its X-ray spectra are well described by absorbed multicolor disk blackbody and power-law models, with characteristic inner disk temperatures of 0.9-1.4 keV and photon indices of 2.0-2.4. The source does not follow the standard luminosity-temperature relation expected for a geometrically thin, optically thick accretion disk. No coherent pulsations or quasi-periodic oscillations are detected, while the short-term variability is dominated by aperiodic fluctuations and kilosecond peak-like structures, consistent with clumpy winds and geometric effects in a super-Eddington accretion flow. Overall, the spectral and timing properties support super-Eddington accretion onto a stellar-mass compact object, although the current data do not allow us to distinguish uniquely between a neutron star and a stellar-mass black hole accretor.

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arXiv2026

A candidate cyclotron line at 1.89 keV in the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 4861 X-2

In this Letter, we report the detection of an absorption-like feature at ~1.89 keV in Chandra/ACIS spectra of the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 4861 X-2, based on the deepest observation (ObsID 20992; ~58 ks). The feature is consistently recovered across independent continuum models and significantly improves the fit statistics. Monte Carlo simulations yield a detection significance of ~3.5-4.1 sigma, depending on the adopted continuum, and a blind line scan reveals a single, localized peak at the same energy. The observed properties are consistent with a proton cyclotron resonant scattering feature (CRSF), implying a magnetic field strength of B ~(3-4) x 10^14 G. The spectrum is well described by a multicolor disk blackbody (diskbb) with kTin ~0.8 keV or a strongly curved continuum with a low cutoff energy (cutoffpl; Ecut ~1.3 keV). The source shows variability confined to the soft X-ray band in the two Chandra observations where the absorption-like feature is detected. In these observations, a candidate periodic signal at P ~7.4 s is also detected, with a global significance of ~2.5 sigma.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Identification of three new ultraluminous X-ray sources in NGC 4631 and NGC 1097: Evidence for stellar-mass black holes

Recent observations of galaxies continue to reveal new ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs), increasing their known population and improving the statistics needed to understand their nature. We study the ULX populations of NGC 4631 and NGC 1097 using archival Chandra, XMM-Newton, and Swift/XRT observations to identify new ULXs and investigate their X-ray and optical properties. We analyzed X-ray data spanning 2000-2025. Spectral fitting was performed for sources with sufficient counts using absorbed power-law and diskbb models. Variability analyses, including hardness-intensity diagrams and light curves, were used to assess short- and long-term variability. Optical color-magnitude diagrams and near-infrared (NIR) spectral energy distributions (SEDs) were employed to identify possible donor stars. In NGC 4631, we identified two new transient ULXs, X-6 and X-7, with X-ray count rates varying by more than an order of magnitude. The LX-T^4 relation from diskbb fits provides strong evidence that NGC 4631 X-6 is powered by a stellar-mass black hole accreting via a standard disk. The optical sources within the X-ray error circles of X-6 and X-7 are candidate counterparts, suggesting these systems are candidate HMXBs. In NGC 1097, we discovered a new transient ULX, ULX-3, showing X-ray luminosity variations by a factor of about 30 and evidence for spectral state transitions, consistent with either a stellar-mass black hole or a neutron star. We identified a unique optical and NIR counterpart. While the optical emission is variable, the NIR emission is stable. The NIR SED is consistent with a blackbody temperature of about 3300 K, compatible with a red supergiant donor with a radius of about 200 solar radii.

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arXiv2023

Spectroscopic Observations of Selected Planetary Nebulae from the HASH Database

We conducted research on the classification and physical properties of 10 objects from the HASH (Hong Kong/Australian Astronomical Observatory/Strasbourg Observatory H-alpha Planetary Nebula (PN)) database with small angular sizes (< 8\arcsec) in the northern hemisphere. The sample consisted of 6 Likely PNe, 2 new candidates, one emission-line star, and one object of unknown nature. Among them, we observed 4 objects for the first time using the medium-resolution TFOSC spectrograph located on the RTT150 cm of the TÜBİTAK National Observatory (TUG). To investigate the classification of the observed objects, we utilized the emission line ratios of [O III]/H$_γ$, [O III]/H$_β$, [N II]/H$_α$ and [S II]/H$_α$ and diagnostic diagrams such as the Sabbadin-Minello-Bianchini (SMB) and Baldwin-Phillips-Terlevich (BPT). When considering a broader range of diagnostic criteria compared to those provided in the literature, our analyses resulted in the reclassification of 4 objects from Likely PNe to True PNe and the retention of the previous classification for the remaining 6 objects. In addition, we obtained various physical conditions such as electron temperatures, electron densities, logarithmic extinction coefficients, and excitation classes for the 10 objects under study. Our analysis revealed that the ionic abundances of the majority of these objects were in agreement with Galactic PNe. Our spectral observations have led to the updating of 10 PNe in the HASH database.

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arXiv2023

Investigation of the Connection Between X-ray Binaries and Compact Star Clusters in NGC 628

We investigated for a possible connection between the types of X-ray binaries (XRBs) and the properties of compact star clusters in the nearby galaxy NGC 628. Using {\it Chandra} archival data covering the years 2001-2018, 75 X-ray sources were detected within the field of view of observations. A total of 69 XRBs, one of which is an ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX), were found to be in the luminosity range of 3$\times10^{36}\leq L_{X}$ $\leq $ 2$\times10^{39}$ erg s$^{-1}$. We identified the optical counterpart(s) of 15 of the 42 XRBs that coincide with the {\it HST} field of view via improved astrometry. We classified 15 of them as HMXBs based on the presence of the optical counterparts. The remaining sources with no optical counterparts were classified as LMXBs. We also search compact star clusters in this galaxy using the multi-band optical images drawn from {\it HST} archives. 864 compact star clusters were identified and their ages and masses were determined by applying the best-fit SSP (Simple Stellar Population) model to their color-color diagram. We found that in NGC 628, HMXBs are associated with younger star clusters and LMXBs with older ones. Our findings support a connection between different types of XRBs and cluster ages, already known to exist for other galaxies.

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arXiv2022

The Photometric Study of Six W UMa Systems and Investigation of the Mass-Radius Relations for Contact Binary Stars

We present the photometric analysis of six short-period systems (EI Oct, V336 TrA, NX Boo, V356 Boo, PS Boo, and V2282 Cyg). This is the first photometric analysis of these systems except for V336 TrA. Observations were conducted for 27 nights at three observatories in the northern and southern hemispheres. We calculated a new ephemeris for each of the systems using our minimum times and additional literature. The Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach was used to determine the eclipse timing variation trends of the systems. We found a likely orbital growth for V336 TrA and PS Boo; four other systems show a linear trend in orbital period changes, which is most likely due to the accumulation of measurement errors in their linear ephemeris parameters. The light curve analysis was performed using the Physics of Eclipsing Binaries (PHOEBE) 2.3.59 version code with the MCMC approach. The absolute parameters of the systems were calculated by using the Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3) parallax. The positions of the systems were also depicted on the Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) and $logJ_0-logM$ diagrams. According to a sample, we were able to present relations for the mass-radius (M-R) relationships of contact binary systems. There is also a strong relationship between the mass ratio and the radius ratio in the W UMa systems for which we also provided a new relation. We compared the M-R updated relationships in this study with seven systems in other studies obtained using the spectroscopic method. In addition, we estimated some of the absolute parameters for 1734 EW systems, based on the new relationships.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2019

Optical Counterparts of ULXs and Their Host Environments in NGC 4490/4485

We report the identification of the possible optical counterparts of five out of seven Ultraluminous X-ray Sources (ULXs) in NGC 4490/4485 galaxy pair. Using archival Hubble Space Telescope ({\it HST}) imaging data, we identified a single optical candidate for two ULXs (X-4 and X-7) and multiple optical candidates for the other three ULXs (X-2, X-3 and X-6) within $\sim$ $0\farcs2$ error radius at the 90\% confidence level. Of the two remaining ULXs, X-1 has no {\it HST} imaging data and photometry could not be performed due to the position of X-5 in NGC4490. Absolute magnitudes ($M_{V}$) of the optical candidates lie between $-5.7$ and $-3.8$. Color-Magnitude Diagrams (CMDs) have been used to investigate the properties of counterparts and their environments. The locations of the counterparts of X-2, X-4, and X-6 suggest possible association with nearby group of stars while others have no association with a star cluster or group of stars. For comparison purposes, we analyzed previously unused three archival XMM-Newton observations. The long-term X-ray light curves of the sources (except transient X-7) show variability by a factor of three in a time scale more than a decade. The use of disk blackbody model for the mass of the compact objects indicates that these objects might have masses most likely in the range 10$-$15 $M_{\sun}$.

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arXiv2016

X-ray spectral and optical properties of a ULX in NGC 4258 (M106)

We study the X-ray and optical properties of the ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) X-6 in the nearby galaxy NGC 4258 (M106) based on the archival {\it XMM-Newton}, {\it Chandra}, {\it Swift}, and {\it Hubble Space Telescope} ({\it HST}) observations. The source has a peak luminosity of $L_{\mathrm{X}} \sim 2 \times 10^{39}$ erg s$^{-1}$ in the {\it XMM-Newton} observation of 2004 June. Consideration of the hardness ratios and spectral model parameters shows that the source seems to exhibit possible spectral variations throughout the X-ray observations. In the images from the {\it HST}/Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), three optical sources have been identified as counterpart candidates within the 1$σ$ error radius of 0$\arcsec$.3. The brightest one has an absolute magnitude of $M_{V} \approx$ $-$7.0 and shows extended structure. The remaining two sources have absolute magnitudes of $M_{V} \approx$ $-$5.8 and $-$5.3 mag. The possible spectral types of the candidates from brightest to dimmest were determined as B6$-$A5, B0$-$A7, and B2$-$A3, respectively. The counterparts of the X-ray source possibly belong to a young star cluster. Neither the standard disk model nor the slim disk model provides firm evidence to determine the spectral characteristics of ULX X-6. We argue that the mass of the compact object lies in the range $10-15M_{\sun}$ indicating that the compact source is most likely a stellar-mass black hole.

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