Krauss, Miriam I., Wang, Zhongxiang, Dullighan, Allyn, Juett, Adrienne M., Kaplan, David L., Chakrabarty, Deepto, van Kerkwijk, Marten H., Steeghs, D., Jonker, P. G. and Markwardt, C. B. (2005) The X-ray position and optical counterpart of the accretion-powered millisecond pulsar XTE J1814−338. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol.627 (No.2). pp. 910-914. doi:10.1086/430595 ISSN 0004-637X.

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Abstract

We report the precise optical and X-ray localization of the 3.2 ms accretion-powered X-ray pulsar XTE J1814-338 with data from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory as well as optical observations conducted during the 2003 June discovery outburst. Optical imaging of the field during the outburst of this soft X-ray transient reveals an R = 18 star at the X-ray position. This star is absent (R > 20) from an archival 1989 image of the field and brightened during the 2003 outburst, and we therefore identify it as the optical counterpart of XTE J1814-338. The best source position derived from optical astrometry is R.A. = 18h13m39.s04, decl. = -33°46'223 (J2000). The featureless X-ray spectrum of the pulsar in outburst is best fit by an absorbed power law (with photon index γ = 1.41 ± 0.06) plus blackbody (with kT = 0.95 ± 0.13 keV) model, where the blackbody component contributes approximately 10% of the source flux. The optical broadband spectrum shows evidence for an excess of infrared emission with respect to an X-ray heated accretion disk model, suggesting a significant contribution from the secondary or from a synchrotron-emitting region. A follow-up observation performed when XTE J1814-338 was in quiescence reveals no counterpart to a limiting magnitude of R = 23.3. This suggests that the secondary is an M3 V or later-type star and therefore very unlikely to be responsible for the soft excess, making synchrotron emission a more reasonable candidate.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Pulsars, X-ray binaries
Journal or Publication Title:	The Astrophysical Journal
Publisher:	Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc.
ISSN:	0004-637X
Official Date:	2005
Dates:	Date Event 2005 Published
Volume:	Vol.627
Number:	No.2
Page Range:	pp. 910-914
DOI:	10.1086/430595
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access (Creative Commons)
Funder:	Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Grant number:	PF3–40027 (NASA), NAS 8-01129 (NASA)

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