arXiv subjects

P. D. Edmonds

Publications and source records attributed to P. D. Edmonds.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2001

Variability and Spectra of Two Neutron Stars in 47 Tucanae

We report spectral and variability analysis of two quiescent low mass x-ray binaries (previously identified with ROSAT HRI as X5 and X7) in the globular cluster 47 Tuc, from a Chandra ACIS-I observation. X5 demonstrates sharp eclipses with an 8.666+-0.008 hr period, as well as dips showing an increased N_H column. Their thermal spectra are well-modelled by unmagnetized hydrogen atmospheres of hot neutron stars, most likely heated by transient accretion, with little to no hard power law component.

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arXiv2001

Chandra Exposes the Core Collapsed Globular Cluster NGC 6397

We report results of the Chandra deep imaging observation of the closest post-core collapse globular cluster, NGC 6397. Some 25 sources are detected within 2 arcmin of the cluster center of which about 20 are likely cluster members with L_x ~ 3x10^29 erg/s. The x-ray spectra suggest identifications with 1 quiescent low mass x-ray binary (qLMXB) detected by the thermal emission from its neutron star (NS) and 9 cataclysmic variables (CVs), 8 of which are identified in our deep HST imaging survey (reported separately). Three (of 16) BY Draconis main sequence binary candidates identified in our earlier HST imaging study (Taylor et al) are detected of which one is indeed the counterpart of the eclipsing millisecond pulsar (MSP) recently located by D'Amico et al. Two other BY Dra candidates are also detected, whereas none of the probable He white dwarf (WD) binaries identified by Taylor et al are indicating they do not contain MSP primaries. The x-ray color magnitude diagram suggests that the remaining 5 probable cluster sources are a mixture of faint CVs, BY Dra binaries and MSPs. Compact binaries containing WDs appear to dominate this cluster, in contrast to those containing NSs in 47Tuc.

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arXiv2001

Identification of the LMXB and Faint X-ray Sources in NGC 6652

We have detected three new x-ray point sources, in addition to the known low-mass x-ray binary (LMXB) X1832-330, in the globular cluster NGC 6652 with a Chandra 1.6 ksec HRC-I exposure. Star 49 (M_{V}~4.7), suggested by Deutsch et al.(1998) as the optical candidate for the LMXB, is identified (<0.3") not with the LMXB, but with another, newly detected source (B). Using archival HST images, we identify (<0.3") the LMXB (A) and one of the remaining new sources (C) with blue variable optical counterparts at M_{V}~3.7 and 5.3 respectively. The other new source (D) remains unidentified in the crowded cluster core. In the 0.5-2.5 keV range, assuming a 5 keV thermal bremsstrahlung spectrum and N_{H}=5.5*10^{20}, source A has intrinsic luminosity L_{X}~5.3*10^{35} ergs/s. Assuming a 1 keV thermal bremsstrahlung spectrum, B has L_{X}~4.1*10^{33} ergs/s, while C and D have L_{X}~8*10^{32}$ ergs/s. Source B is probably a quiescent LMXB, while source C may be either a luminous CV or quiescent LMXB.

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arXiv2001

SX Phoenicis Stars in the Core of 47 Tucanae

We present new results on five of six known SX Phoenicis stars in the core of the globular cluster 47 Tucanae. We give interpretations of the light curves in the V and I bands from 8.3 days of observations with the Hubble Space Telescope near the core of 47 Tuc. The most evolved SX Phe star in the cluster is a double-mode pulsator (V2) and we determine its mass to be 1.54+/-0.05 solar masses from its position in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and by comparing observed periods with current theoretical pulsation models. For V14 we do not detect any pulsation signal. For the double-mode pulsators V3, V15, and V16 we cannot give a safe identification of the modes. We also describe the photometric techniques we have used to extract the light curves of stars in the crowded core. Some of the SX Phoenicis are saturated and we demonstrate that even for stars that show signs of a bleeding signal we can obtain a point-to-point accuracy of 1-3%.

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arXiv2000

Stellar Variability in the Globular Cluster Terzan 5

We present the results of a search for variability in and near the core of the metal-rich, obscured globular cluster Terzan 5, using NICMOS on HST. This extreme cluster has approximately solar metallicity and a central density that places it in the upper few percent of all clusters. It is estimated to have the highest interaction rate of any galactic globular cluster. The large extinction towards Terzan 5 and the severe stellar crowding near the cluster center present a substantial observational challenge. Using time series analysis we discovered two variable stars in this cluster. The first is a RRab Lyrae variable with a period of ~0.61 days, a longer period than that of field stars with similar high metallicities. This period is, however, shorter than the average periods of RR Lyraes found in the metal-rich globular clusters NGC 6441, NGC 6388 and 47 Tuc. The second variable is a blue star with a 7-hour period sinusoidal variation and a likely orbital period of 14 hours. This star is probably an eclipsing blue straggler, or (less likely) the infrared counterpart to the low mass X-ray binary known in Terzan 5. Due to the extreme crowding and overlapping Airy profile of the IR PSF, we fall short of our original goal of detecting CVs via Palpha emission and detecting variable infrared emission from the location of the binary MSP in Terzan 5.

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arXiv2000

A Lack of Planets in 47 Tucanae from an HST Search

We report results from a large Hubble Space Telescope project to observe a significant (~34,000) ensemble of main sequence stars in the globular cluster 47 Tucanae with a goal of defining the frequency of inner-orbit, gas-giant planets. Simulations based on the characteristics of the 8.3 days of time-series data in the F555W and F814W WFPC2 filters show that ~17 planets should be detected by photometric transit signals if the frequency of hot Jupiters found in the solar neighborhood is assumed to hold for 47 Tuc. The experiment provided high-quality data sufficient to detect planets. A full analysis of these WFPC2 data reveals ~75 variables, but NO light curves resulted for which a convincing interpretation as a planet could be made. The planet frequency in 47 Tuc is at least an order of magnitude below that for the solar neighborhood. The cause of the absence of close-in planets in 47 Tuc is not yet known; presumably the low metallicity and/or crowding of 47 Tuc interfered with planet formation, with orbital evolution to close-in positions, or with planet survival.

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