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CHANDRA and SWIFT X-RAY OBSERVATIONS of the X-RAY PULSAR SMC X-2 during the OUTBURST of 2015
Journal article   Peer reviewed

CHANDRA and SWIFT X-RAY OBSERVATIONS of the X-RAY PULSAR SMC X-2 during the OUTBURST of 2015

K.L. Li, C.-P. Hu, L.C.C. Lin and Albert K. H. Kong
Astrophysical Journal, Vol.828(2), 74
10/09/2016

Abstract

accretion, accretion disks Magellanic Clouds pulsars: individual (SMC X-2) X-rays: bursts
We report the Chandra/HRC-S and Swift/XRT observations for the 2015 outburst of the high-mass X-ray binary pulsar in the Small Magellanic Cloud, SMC X-2. While previous studies suggested that either an O star or a Be star in the field is the high-mass companion of SMC X-2, our Chandra/HRC-S image unambiguously confirms the O-type star as the true optical counterpart. Using the Swift/XRT observations, we extracted accurate orbital parameters of the pulsar binary through a time of arrivals analysis. In addition, there were two X-ray dips near the inferior conjunction, which are possibly caused by eclipses or an ionized high-density shadow wind near the companion's surface. Finally, we propose that an outflow driven by the radiation pressure from day ?10 played an important role in the X-ray/optical evolution of the outburst.

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