| Name | 086481 |
| Title | Understanding state transitions in ULXs: diagnostics through wind spectroscopy |
| URL | https://nxsa.esac.esa.int/nxsa-sl/servlet/data-action-aio?obsno=0864810101 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.57780/esa-idtrrv0 |
| Author | European Space Agency |
| Description | In recent work done with XMM-Newton, we have discovered that ultraluminous X-ray sources have strong relativistic winds in agreement with theoretical predictions of super-Eddington accretion. Such winds vary on timescales of days and can become optically thick enough to block and reprocess the disc X-ray photons, thus changing the spectral shape of the source into an ultraluminous supersoft X-ray source. We propose to test this hypothesis, by studying a transitional object where the wind is so strong that it is already causing significant absorption of the harder X-ray continuum: NGC 55 ULX. A 130ks XMM observation triggered during a high X-ray flux state will enable to perform time-/flux-resolved X-ray spectroscopy of the wind and probe the transition from supersoft to soft ULX. |
| Publication | No observations found associated with the current proposal |
| Instrument | EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2 |
| Temporal Coverage | 2020-05-24T21:26:17Z/2020-05-26T10:19:37Z |
| Version | 18.02_20200221_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 | 2021-07-22T00:00:00Z |
| Publisher And Registrant | European Space Agency |
| Credit Guidelines | European Space Agency, 2021, Understanding State Transitions In Ulxs: Diagnostics Through Wind Spectroscopy, 18.02_20200221_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.57780/esa-idtrrv0 |