DISTRIBUTION OF HIGH-MASS X-RAY BINARIES IN THE MILKY WAY

Journal Article · Wed Feb 20 04:00:00 EST 2013 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/764/2/185· OSTI ID:22167677

Coleiro, Alexis; Chaty, Sylvain ^[1]

---

1. Laboratoire AIM (UMR-E 9005 CEA/DSM-CNRS-Universite Paris Diderot), Irfu/Service d'Astrophysique, CEA-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France)

Observations of the high-energy sky, particularly with the INTEGRAL satellite, have quadrupled the number of supergiant X-ray binaries observed in the Galaxy and revealed new populations of previously hidden high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs), raising new questions about their formation and evolution. The number of detected HMXBs of different types is now high enough to allow us to carry out a statistical analysis of their distribution in the Milky Way. For the first time, we derive the distance and absorption of a sample of HMXBs using a spectral energy distribution fitting procedure, and we examine the correlation with the distribution of star-forming complexes (SFCs) in the Galaxy. We show that HMXBs are clustered with SFCs with a typical cluster size of 0.3 {+-} 0.05 kpc and a characteristic distance between clusters of 1.7 {+-} 0.3 kpc. Furthermore, we present an investigation of the expected offset between the position of spiral arms and HMXBs, allowing us to constrain age and migration distance due to supernova kick for 13 sources. These new methods will allow us to assess the influence of the environment on these high-energy objects with unprecedented reliability.

• OSTI ID: 22167677
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 764; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ASTRONOMY
ASTROPHYSICS
BINARY STARS
CORRELATIONS
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
DISTANCE
ENERGY SPECTRA
MASS
MILKY WAY
SATELLITES
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
STAR EVOLUTION