Name | 041398 |
Title | Testing the accreting intermediate-mass black hole hypothesis in two ULXs |
URL | https://nxsa.esac.esa.int/nxsa-sl/servlet/data-action-aio?obsno=0413980401 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-v8xj2tf |
Author | Dr Timothy Roberts |
Description | We propose deep XMM-Newton observations of two bright ultraluminous X-ray sources, NGC 4559 X7 and NGC 5204 X-1. Short observations of these ULXs have revealed spectral soft excesses, consistent with an accretion disc around an intermediate-mass black hole. We will use two diagnostic tests, only accessible through high signal-to-noise data, to test whether the accreting IMBH hypothesis remains viable after rigorous examination. Specifically, we will look for curvature in the 2 - 10 keV X-ray spectrum, which is not expected if IMBHs operate in accretion states similar to Galactic black hole binaries, and we will place limits on the underlying black hole masses by deriving the form of the power spectral density for each source. |
Publication | No observations found associated with the current proposal |
Instrument | EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN |
Temporal Coverage | 2006-11-16T09:51:52Z/2006-11-16T11:38:35Z |
Version | 17.56_20190403_1200 |
Mission Description | The European Space Agency's (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESA's second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earth's atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis. |
Creator Contact | https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton/xmm-newton-helpdesk |
Date Published | 2007-12-21T00:00:00Z |
Publisher And Registrant | European Space Agency |
Credit Guidelines | European Space Agency, Dr Timothy Roberts, 2007, 041398, 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-v8xj2tf |