Physics
Scientific paper
Feb 2000
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000noao.prop...28w&link_type=abstract
NOAO Proposal ID #2000A-0028
Physics
Scientific paper
Soft X-ray transients (SXTs) are interacting binaries where matter donated by a late-type star is accreted onto a neutron star or black hole. SXTs sporadically undergo drastic outbursts characterized by an increase of several orders of magnitude in the X-ray and optical luminosities. This provides the opportunity to study the physical parameters of the accretion flow for a large range in mass transfer rates. Long term X-ray lightcurves of many SXTs are available from public archives, however, equivalent optical data are lacking. We propose to use the 0.9m telescope target of opportunity mode to trigger optical observations of X-ray transients once an X-ray outburst is detected and continue weekly monitoring to obtain longterm outburst lightcurves. The X-ray emission is thought to reflect the accretion rate through the inner edge of the accretion disk while the optical lightcurve traces the physical conditions at the outer disk. The accretion disk instability model predicts that the optical outburst commences prior to the X-ray outburst. We propose to monitor SXT counterparts in quiescence in order to detect optical brightening before an X-ray outburst.
Hoard Donald Wayne
Wachter Stefanie
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