Discovery of a 30. 5 day periodicity in LMC X-4

Journal Article · Fri May 15 00:00:00 EDT 1981 · Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/183545· OSTI ID:6338639

Lang, F L; Levine, A M; Bautz, M; Hauskins, S; Howe, S; Primini, F A; Lewin, W H.G.; Baity, W A; Knight, F K; Rothschild, R E; Petterson, J A

Observations covering a 500/sup d/ time span made with High-Energy X-ray and Low-Energy Gamma-Ray Instrument on HEAO 1 reveal a 30./sup d/48 +- 0./sup d/06 peroidic variability in the approx.13 to approx.80 keV flux from LMC X-4. The source intensity is modulated by at least a factor of 5 through the 30./sup d/5 cycle and is low for approx.40% of the cycle. A value of the orbital period P = 1./sup d/40839 +- 0./sup d/00010 is determined from the observations. Possible origins of the 30./sup d/5 period are discussed.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics and Center for Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• OSTI ID: 6338639
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States), Vol. 246:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
VARIATIONS
BINARY STARS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
RADIATION FLUX
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
DATA
GALAXIES
INFORMATION
NUMERICAL DATA
STARS
640103* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources- (-1987)