The Orbital Period of the Be/Neutron Star Binary RX J0812.4-3114

Abstract

We present the results of Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer observations of the Be star X-ray binary system RX J0812.4-3114. A light curve obtained with the RXTE All-Sky Monitor shows that the source is currently in an active state with outbursts occurring at approximately 80 day intervals. The source underwent a transition from an inactive state to this regular outburst state early in 1998. An observation of RX J0812.4-3114 was obtained with the RXTE Proportional Counter Array close to the time of a predicted maximum in March 1999 and strong pulsations were detected at a period of 31.88 seconds. This confirms the result of an earlier PCA observation by Reig & Roche which was serendipitously also obtained near the predicted maximum flux of the 80 day period and also near the start of the current active state. We interpret the periodicity in the ASM light curve as indicating the orbital period of RX J0812.4-3114 with outbursts occurring around periastron passage.

Cited by in corpus (12)

• A natural explanation for periodic X-ray outbursts in Be/X-ray binaries
• A Systematic Search for Periodicities in RXTE/ASM Data
• The X-ray properties of Be/X-ray pulsars in quiescence
• On the nature of the hard X-ray source 4U2206+54
• Pulse phase resolved spectroscopy of Vela X-1 with Suzaku
• Timing and broad band spectroscopy of 1A 1118-61 with Suzaku
• The Be/X-ray binary LS 992/RX J0812.4-3114: physical parameters and long-term variability
• Accretion column eclipses in the X-ray pulsars GX 1+4 and RX J0812.4-3114
• Catalog of the Galactic population of X-ray pulsars in High-mass X-ray binary systems
• Fast time optical variability in Be/X-ray binaries. Pulsation and rotation
• Soft excess in the quiescent Be/X-ray pulsar RX J0812.4-3114
• Further evidence for natal kick segregation by spectral type in high-mass X-ray binaries