Constraining the Orbital Period of SN2010da
Abstract
The supernova imposter SN 2010da has been an astrophysical anomaly since its discovery nearly ten years ago. Although initially given a supernova (SN) designation, follow up observations quickly revealed that the event was not a true supernova but an eruption from a neutron star and red supergiant binary system. In 2017, SN2010da transitioned to an ultraluminous X-ray source (NGC 300 ULX-1) when the system's X-ray luminosity increased by a factor of ~100. Pulsations were detected in deep XMM-Newton + NuSTAR observations, confirming the existence of the neutron star compact object in the system. The increase in X-ray luminosity may be due to a sudden increase in the rate of material funneled through the neutron star's magnetic field, challenging the standard thin disk, Eddington-limited accretion scenarios for compact objects. The system continues to evolve: in March of 2019, the system's luminosity dipped below the Swift detection threshold. The orbital period of the binary system has yet to have been measured. This is because the orbital period is either very long, or the inclination of the system is oriented nearly face-on. Additionally, the formation and destruction rates of dust in the system is unknown, making the structure of the circumstellar environment highly uncertain. The goals of this project are (1) to place a limit on the orbital period of the system, and (2) constrain the geometry of the circumstellar environment around the binary. We are modeling prominent emission line profiles (Hα, Hβ, OIII doublet, Fe X, and O I) of four epochs of Gemini GMOS spectra obtained during the summer of 2017. We search for variations in the redshift-corrected radial velocity due to motions within the binary system. We fit an upper limit of ~30 ± 3 days to the radial velocity variations; identifying the origin and physical mechanism producing these emission lines is ongoing. Understanding how material is moving in and around the binary, and where in the system the spectral features are being produced, can help reveal the structure and orbital parameters of the binary.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #235
- Pub Date:
- January 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AAS...23517021V