arXiv subjects

Natalie Webb

Publications and source records attributed to Natalie Webb.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Variability in Ultra-luminous X-ray Sources

Many upcoming surveys, particularly in the radio and optical domains, are designed to probe either the temporal and/or the spatial variability of a range of astronomical objects. In the light of these high resolution surveys, we review the subject of ultra-luminous X-ray (ULX) sources, which are thought to be accreting black holes for the most part. We also discuss the sub-class of ULXs known as the hyper-luminous X-ray sources, which may be accreting intermediate mass black holes. We focus on some of the open questions that will be addressed with the new facilities, such as the mass of the black hole in ULXs, their temporal variability and the nature of the state changes, their surrounding nebulae and the nature of the region in which ULXs reside.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

Radio Detections During Two State Transitions of the Intermediate Mass Black Hole HLX-1

Relativistic jets are streams of plasma moving at appreciable fractions of the speed of light. They have been observed from stellar mass black holes ($\sim$3$-$20 solar masses, M$_\odot$) as well as supermassive black holes ($\sim$10$^6$$-$10$^9$ M$_\odot$) found in the centres of most galaxies. Jets should also be produced by intermediate mass black holes ($\sim$10$^2$$-$10$^5$ M$_\odot$), although evidence for this third class of black hole has until recently been weak. We report the detection of transient radio emission at the location of the intermediate mass black hole candidate ESO 243-49 HLX-1, which is consistent with a discrete jet ejection event. These observations also allow us to refine the mass estimate of the black hole to be between $\sim$9 $\times$10$^{3}$ M$_\odot$ and $\sim$9 $\times$10$^{4}$ M$_\odot$.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

The Hot and Energetic Universe: End points of stellar evolution

White dwarfs, neutron stars and stellar mass black holes are key laboratories to study matter in most extreme conditions of gravity and magnetic field. The unprecedented effective area of Athena+ will allow us to advance our understanding of emission mechanisms and accretion physics over a wide range of mass accretion rates, starting from lower and sub-luminous quiescent X-ray binaries up to super-Eddington ultra-luminous sources. Athena+ will measure stellar black hole spins in a much higher number of binaries than achievable now, opening the possibility to study how spin varies with black hole history. The high throughput and energy resolution of the X-IFU will be instrumental in establishing how disc wind properties depend on accretion state, in determining wind launching mechanism and in quantifying the impact of the wind induced mass loss on binary evolution and environment. Triggers and high quality optical and radio data originating from large wide field contemporaneous instruments will provide essential complementary information on jet launching mechanisms and on the physics of rotation powered pulsars, for instance. In addition, Athena+ will furnish multiple, independent measurements of the neutron star mass/radius relation in a wide range of environments and conditions so as to constrain the debated equation of state.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

CV1 in the globular cluster M 22: confirming its nature through X-ray observations and optical spectroscopy

Context. Observations of cataclysmic variables in globular clusters appear to show a dearth of outbursts compared to those observed in the field. A number of explanations have been proposed, including low mass-transfer rates and/or moderate magnetic fields implying higher mass white dwarfs than the average observed in the field. Alternatively this apparent dearth may be simply a selection bias. Aims. We examine multi-wavelength data of a new cataclysmic variable, CV1, in the globular cluster M 22 to try to constrain its period and magnetic nature, with an aim at understanding whether globular cluster cataclysmic variables are intrinsically different from those observed in the field. Methods. We use the sub-arcsecond resolution of the Chandra ACIS-S to identify the X-ray counterpart to CV1 and analyse the X-ray spectrum to determine the spectral model that best describes this source. We also examine the low resolution optical spectrum for emission lines typical of cataclysmic variables. Cross correlating the Halpha line in each individual spectrum also allows us to search for orbital motion. Results. The X-ray spectrum reveals a source best-fitted with a high-temperature bremsstrahlung model and an X-ray unabsorbed luminosity of 1.8e32 erg/s (0.3-8.0 keV), which are typical of cataclysmic variables. Optical spectra reveal Balmer emission lines, which are indicative of an accretion disc. Potential radial velocity in the Halpha emission line is detected and a period for CV1 is proposed. Conclusions. These observations support the CV identification. The radial velocity measurements suggest that CV1 may have an orbital period of ~7 hours, but further higher resolution optical spectroscopy of CV1 is needed to unequivocally establish the nature of this CV and its orbital period.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2010

Exploring the Nature of the Brightest Hyper-luminous X-ray Source

The small subset of hyper-luminous X-ray sources with luminosities in excess of ~1E41 erg/s are hard to explain without the presence of an intermediate mass black hole, as significantly super-Eddington accretion and/or very small beaming angles are required. The recent discovery of HLX-1, the most luminous object in this class with a record breaking luminosity of ~1E42 erg/s in the galaxy ESO 243-49, therefore currently provides some of the strongest evidence for the existence of intermediate mass black holes. HLX-1 is almost an order of magnitude brighter than the other hyper-luminous sources, and appears to exhibit X-ray spectral and flux variability similar to Galactic stellar mass black hole X-ray binaries. In this paper we review the current state of knowledge on this intriguing source and outline the results of multi-wavelength studies from radio to ultra-violet wavelengths, including imaging and spectroscopy of the recently identified optical counterpart obtained with the Very Large Telescope. These results continue to support an intermediate mass black hole in excess of 500 Msun

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2010

An Intermediate-mass Black Hole of Over 500 Solar Masses in the Galaxy ESO 243-49

Ultra-luminous X-ray sources are extragalactic objects located outside the nucleus of the host galaxy with bolometric luminosities >10^39 erg s^-1. These extreme luminosities - if the emission is isotropic and below the theoretical (i.e. Eddington) limit, where the radiation pressure is balanced by the gravitational pressure - imply the presence of an accreting black hole with a mass of ~10^2-10^5 times that of the Sun. The existence of such intermediate mass black holes is in dispute, and though many candidates have been proposed, none are widely accepted as definitive. Here we report the detection of a variable X-ray source with a maximum 0.2-10 keV luminosity of up to 1.2 x 10^42 erg s^-1 in the edge-on spiral galaxy ESO 243-49, with an implied conservative lower limit of the mass of the black hole of ~500 Msun. This finding presents the strongest observational evidence to date for the existence of intermediate mass black holes, providing the long sought after missing link between the stellar mass and super-massive black hole populations.

astro-ph.HE↗