Discovery of 172-s Pulsations from a Be/X-Ray Binary Candidate AX J0051.6–7311 in the SMC with ASCA

Abstract The results from three ASCA observations of AX J0051.6–7311 = RX J0051.9–7311 are reported. Coherent pulsations with a barycentric period of 172.40 ± 0.03 s were discovered in the third observation, with an exceptionally long exposure time of ∼ 177 ks. The X-ray spectrum was found to remain...

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Published inPublications of the Astronomical Society of Japan Vol. 52; no. 5; pp. L37 - L41
Main Authors Yokogawa, Jun, Torii, Ken'ichi, Imanishi, Kensuke, Koyama, Katsuji
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 25.10.2000
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Summary:Abstract The results from three ASCA observations of AX J0051.6–7311 = RX J0051.9–7311 are reported. Coherent pulsations with a barycentric period of 172.40 ± 0.03 s were discovered in the third observation, with an exceptionally long exposure time of ∼ 177 ks. The X-ray spectrum was found to remain unchanged through these observations, with a photon index of of ∼ 0.9. Energy-resolved pulse profiles in the third observation reveal that the pulsations are mostly due to photons with an energy above ∼ 2 keV. Archival data of ROSAT and Einstein Observatory indicate that AX J0051.6–7311 exhibits a flux variation having a factor ≳ 20.
ISSN:0004-6264
2053-051X
DOI:10.1093/pasj/52.5.L37