All-Sky Monitor observations of the decay of A0620-00 (Nova Monocerotis 1975)

Technical Report · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976

OSTI ID:7292085

Kaluzienski, L J; Holt, S S; Boldt, E A; Serlemitsos, P J

The All-Sky X-ray Monitor onboard Ariel 5 has observed the 3--6 keV decline of the bright transient x-ray source A0620-00 on a virtually continuous basis during the period September 1975--March 1976. The source behavior on timescales of 100 minutes is characterized by smooth, exponential decays interrupted by substantial increases in October and February. The latter increase was an order-of-magnitude rise above the extrapolated exponential fall-off, and was followed by a final rapid decline. Upper limits of 2.5% and 10% were found for any periodicities in the range 20d--10d during the early and later decay phases, respectively. A probable correlation between the optical and 3-6 keV emission from A0620-00 was noted, effectively ruling out models involving traditional optical novae in favor of Roche-lobe overflow in a binary system. The existing data on the transient x-ray sources is consistent with two distinct luminosity--lifetime classes of these objects. (auth)

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Greenbelt, MD (USA). Goddard Space Flight Center
• OSTI ID: 7292085
• Report Number(s): N-76-28120; NASA-TM-X-71139; X-661-76-142
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640103* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BINARY STARS
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
ENERGY RANGE
KEV RANGE
KEV RANGE 01-10
LIFETIME
LUMINOSITY
NOVAE
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHOTOMETRY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
STARS
VARIATIONS