X-ray and optical variability of the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 1313 X-2

Abstract

We present an analysis of recent XMM-Newton and HST archive data of the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 1313 X-2. Quasi-simultaneous observations taken with XMM-Newton, HST and VLT allow us to study both the X-ray light curve and its correlation with the optical emission of the two proposed ULX counterparts. At the end of December 2003 the source experienced a short, but intense flare, reaching a maximum luminosity of ~10^40 erg/s. At the same time, the optical flux of both the suggested counterparts did not show pronounced variations (<30%). Assuming that the ULX emission is isotropic and taking X-ray reprocessing into account, the optical data for one of the proposed counterparts are consistent with it being an early type, main sequence star of about 10-18 Msun losing matter through Roche-lobe overflow onto a ~120 Msun black hole at an orbital separation corresponding to a period of about 2 days.

19 pages, 4 figures, accepted for pubblication on ApJ

References in corpus (6)

• XMM-Newton observations of the brightest Ultraluminous X-ray sources
• A 62 Day X-Ray Periodicity and an X-Ray Flare from the Ultraluminous X-Ray Source in M82
• An Optical Study of Stellar and Interstellar Environments of Seven Luminous and Ultraluminous X-Ray Sources
• The ultra-luminous X-ray source in M82: an intermediate mass black hole with a giant companion
• The Orbital Period of the Ultraluminous X-ray Source in M82
• Ultraluminous X-ray Sources: Bubbles and Optical Counterparts

Cited by in corpus (26)

• Low metallicity natal environments and black hole masses in Ultraluminous X-ray Sources
• Optical counterparts of the nearest ultraluminous X-ray sources
• The ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 1313 X-2 - Its optical counterpart and environment
• Optical emission from massive donors in ULX binary systems
• X-ray spectral states and metallicity in the ultraluminous X-ray sources NGC 1313 X-1 and X-2
• Models for the Observable System Parameters of Ultraluminous X-ray Sources
• Weighing the black holes in ultraluminous X-ray sources through timing
• New Hubble Space Telescope imaging of the counterparts to six ultraluminous X-ray sources
• Spectral Evolution of NGC 1313 X-2: Evidence Against The Cool Disk Model
• Roche-lobe overflow systems powered by black holes in young star clusters: the importance of dynamical exchanges
• Minutes-duration Optical Flares with Supernova Luminosities
• Outbursts of the intermediate-mass black hole HLX-1: a wind instability scenario
• The black hole in NGC 1313 X-2: constraints on the mass from optical observations
• Modelling optical emission of Ultra-luminous X-ray Sources accreting above the Eddington limit
• Searching for the orbital period of the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 1313 X-2
• The Transient Ultra-luminous X-ray Source, ULX-4, in M51
• A comparative analysis of standard accretion disks spectra: an application to Ultraluminous X-ray Sources
• THA 15-31: Discovery with VLT/X-Shooter and Swift/UVOT of a new symbiotic star of the accreting-only variety
• Multiwavelength study of the bright X-ray source population in the interacting galaxies NGC5774/NGC5775
• The metallicity of the nebula surrounding the ultra-luminous X-ray source NGC 1313 X-2
• Six years of XMM-Newton observations of NGC 1313 X-1 and X-2
• Optical variability of the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 1313 X-2
• Identification of a New Ultraluminous X-ray Source in NGC 1316
• Detection of X-ray elongated emission from a ultraluminous X-ray source in the interacting pair of galaxies NGC 5953/5954
• Long term optical variability of bright X-ray point sources in elliptical galaxies
• The black hole in NGC 1313 X-2