Multi-Epoch X-ray Imaging of Globular Cluster M62 with Chandra

Abstract

Using archival spectral-imaging data with a total exposure of $\sim 144$ ks obtained by {\it Chandra}, 43 X-ray sources are detected within the half-light radius of globular cluster M62 (NGC6266). Based on the X-ray colour-luminosity diagram or the positional coincidences with known sources, we have classified these sources into different groups of compact binaries including cataclysmic variable (CV), quiescent low mass X-ray binary (qLMXB), millisecond pulsar (MSP) and black hole (BH). Candidates of the X-ray counterparts of 12 CVs, 4 qLMXBs, 2 MSPs and 1 BH are identified in our analysis. The data used in our analysis consist of two frames separated by 12 years, which enable us to search for the long-term variability as well as the short-term X-ray flux variability within each observation window. Evidence for the short-term variability and long-term variability have been found in 7 and 12 sources respectively. For a number of bright sources with X-ray luminosities $L_x\gtrsim 10^{32}$~erg/s, we have characterized their spectral properties in further details. By comparing the X-ray population in M62 with those in several other prototypical globular clusters, we found the proportion of bright sources is larger in M62 which can possibly be a result of their active dynamical formation processes.

12 pages, 6 figrues, 3 tables

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Cited by in corpus (3)

• A Census of X-ray Millisecond Pulsars in Globular Clusters
• A comparison of millisecond pulsar populations between globular clusters and the Galactic field
• Reevaluating the Origin of Detectable Cataclysmic Variables in Globular Clusters: Testing the Importance of Dynamics