Confirmation of the 62 Day X-Ray Periodicity from M82
Abstract
Using 400 days of new X-ray monitoring of M82, we confirm the 62 day periodicity previously reported. In the full data set spanning 1124 days, we find a period of 62.0+/-0.3 days and a coherence, Q=22.3, that is consistent with a strictly periodic signal. We estimate that the probability of chance occurrence of our observed signal is 6×10-7. The light curve folded at this period is roughly sinusoidal and has a peak-to-peak amplitude of (0.99+/-0.10)×10-11 erg cm-2 s-1. Confirmation of the periodicity strengthens our previous suggestion that the 62 day modulation is due to orbital motion within an X-ray binary.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- November 2007
- DOI:
- 10.1086/521598
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0707.2055
- Bibcode:
- 2007ApJ...669..106K
- Keywords:
-
- Black Hole Physics;
- Galaxies: Individual: Messier Number: M82;
- Galaxies: Stellar Content;
- X-Rays: Binaries;
- X-Rays: Galaxies;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 4 pages, to appear in ApJ