On the Nature of X-ray Sources in Early-Type Galaxies

Abstract

We show that the observed relationship between the fraction of low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) found in globular clusters (GCs) and the GC-specific frequency for early-type galaxies is consistent with an LMXB formation model in which the field population of LMXBs is formed in situ via primordial binary formation. The suggestion that a significant fraction of the field LMXB population in early-type galaxies was formed in GCs is not required by the data. Finally, we discuss observational studies that will test this model more thoroughly.

5 pages, 1 figure, minor typographical corrections

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• Some Constraints On the Effects of Age and Metallicity on the Low Mass X-ray Binary Formation Rate
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Cited by in corpus (29)

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• X-ray Binary Luminosity Function Scaling Relations for Local Galaxies Based on Subgalactic Modeling
• Low Mass X-ray Binaries in 6 Elliptical Galaxies: Connection to Globular Clusters
• Dependence of the LMXB population on stellar age
• Probing the Formation of Low Mass X-ray Binaries in Globular Clusters and the Field
• A study of the population of LMXBs in the bulge of M31
• Comparing GC and Field LMXBs in Elliptical Galaxies with deep Chandra and Hubble data
• The X-ray Properties of Early-Type Galaxies in the Extended Chandra Deep Field-South
• Models for Low-Mass X-Ray Binaries in the Elliptical Galaxies NGC3379 and NGC4278: Comparison with Observations
• Low-Mass X-ray Binaries and Globular Clusters in Early-Type Galaxies. I. Chandra Observations
• Probing the GC-LMXB connection in NGC 1399: a wide-field study with HST and Chandra
• Luminosity functions of LMXBs in different stellar environments
• Luminosity functions of LMXBs in Centaurus A: globular clusters versus the field
• The X-ray Luminosity Functions of Field Low Mass X-ray Binaries in Early-Type Galaxies: Evidence for a Stellar Age Dependence
• Deep Chandra Monitoring Observations of NGC 4278: Catalog of Source Properties
• Metallicity Effect on LMXB Formation in Globular Clusters
• X-ray Binary Luminosity Function Scaling Relations in Elliptical Galaxies: Evidence for Globular Cluster Seeding of Low-Mass X-ray Binaries in Galactic Fields
• The Two-Dimensional Spatial Distributions of the Globular Clusters and Low-Mass X-Ray Binaries of NGC4649
• The globular cluster mass/low mass X-ray binary correlation:implications for kick velocity distributions from supernovae
• The Brightest Point X-Ray Sources in Elliptical Galaxies and the Mass Spectrum of Accreting Black Holes
• Deep Chandra Monitoring Observations of NGC 4649: I. Catalog of Source Properties
• The radial distribution of X-ray Binaries and Globular Clusters in NGC 4649 and their relation with the local stellar mass density
• Low-Mass X-ray Binaries and Globular Clusters in Early-Type Galaxies. II. Globular Cluster Candidates and their Mass-Metallicity Relation
• Globular Clusters and X-ray Point Sources in Centaurus A (NGC 5128)
• Chandra Observations of the X-ray Point Source Population in NGC 4636
• The Megasecond Chandra X-Ray Visionary Project Observation of NGC 3115 (III): luminosity functions of LMXBs and dependence on stellar environments
• X-ray Binaries in External Galaxies
• Neutron Stars and Black Holes in Star Clusters
• An excess of low-mass X-ray binaries in the outer halo of NGC 4472