A comprehensive search for high-velocity X-ray sources: New compact object binary candidates in the Gaia era

Abstract

We perform a comprehensive search for high-velocity X-ray sources with large X-ray/optical flux ratios ($F_{\mathrm{X}}/F_{\mathrm{G}}$), identifying candidates for interacting black hole or neutron star binaries potentially accelerated by supernova natal kicks. We cross-match X-ray points sources from a variety of catalogues (Chandra, XMM-Newton, Swift and eROSITA) with Gaia DR3. Using Gaia coordinates, parallaxes, and proper motions, we compute peculiar velocities (${\upsilon }_{\mathrm{pec}}$) relative to Galactic disc rotation. Remaining agnostic about radial velocities (RVs), we vary RVs to find the minimum possible ${\upsilon }_{\mathrm{pec}}$ values (${\upsilon }_{\mathrm{pec},\min }$). Uncertainties on ${\upsilon }_{\mathrm{pec},\min }$ are estimated via Monte Carlo resampling, and we select X-ray sources that have $1\sigma$ lower limits on ${\upsilon }_{\mathrm{pec},\min }\ge 200\mathrm{km}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$ and high $F_{\mathrm{X}}/F_{\mathrm{G}}$ values. We show that this velocity threshold excludes most contaminants (e.g., cataclysmic variables and active binaries) while retaining a sensible fraction of compact object binaries, demonstrating that ${\upsilon }_{\mathrm{pec}}$ could serve as an effective indicator for the presence of a neutron star or black hole companion. Our selection yields a sample of 2372 sources, from which we construct a gold sample of 7 sources that have relatively well-constrained astrometry and confident optical counterparts. Follow-up is necessary to confirm and characterise their high-energy emission, as well as a Galactic disc vs. halo origin.

15 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

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