Discovery of the neutron star nature of SLX 1737-282
Abstract
SLX 1737-282 is a persistent moderately bright X-ray source 1\fdg2 from the Galactic center. X-ray observations with the Wide Field Cameras on BeppoSAX have for the first time revealed the true nature of SLX 1737-282: a 15 min long thermonuclear flash was detected exposing the source as a neutron star in a binary system. The flash was Eddington-limited constraining the distance to between 5 and 8 kpc. We analyze BeppoSAX, ROSAT, and RXTE data on SLX 1737-282. The persistent 0.5-200 keV luminosity is close to or less than 1% of the Eddington limit which implies a rarely-seen circumstance for thermonuclear flash activity.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- July 2002
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361:20020631
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0204433
- Bibcode:
- 2002A&A...389L..43I
- Keywords:
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- accretion;
- accretion disks;
- binaries: close;
- X-rays: stars: individual: SLX 1737-282;
- 2E 1737.5-2817;
- 1RXS J174043.1-281806;
- RX J1740.7-2818;
- AX J1740.7-2818;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- Accepted for publication in A&