Observations of Intermediate Mass Black Hole Candidate Ultra-Luminous X-ray Sources

Details Observations of Intermediate Mass Black Hole Candidate Ultra-Luminous X-ray Sources Observations of Intermediate Mass Black Hole Candidate Ultra-Luminous X-ray Sources

Jul 2003

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003hst..prop.9796m&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #9796

Physics

Hst Proposal Id #9796 Galaxies

Scientific paper

Ultra-luminous X-ray {ULX} sources are off-nuclear point sources in nearby normal galaxies. Variability observed on the timescale of days, weeks, and years signals that ULXS are accreting sources, likely harboring black holes. However, the observed X-ray luminosity of these systems far exceeds the Eddington limit for a 10 Msun black hole; some ULXs may be intermediate mass black holes. The identification and study of optical counterparts with HST will be central to better understanding these objects. We propose to obtain deep U-B-V-I exposures of 4 extremely bright ULXs in nearby spirals: NGC 1313 X-1 and X-2, M81 X-9 {Holmberg II X-1}, and M74 X-1. Each has a 0.5'' Chandra position, and X-ray luminosity and spectral characteristics consistent with expectations for intermediate mass black holes. We will use the colors we obtain, the magnitudes we measure, and any source variability {also, correlated optical-X-ray variability from simultaneous Chandra snapshots} to constrain the nature of the donor stars and the black holes {10 Msun or 100-1000 Msun}, and the formation and evolution scenarios for each system.

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