The Discrete X-ray Source Population of M82
Abstract
M82 is the prototypical starburst galaxy in the nearby universe. As such, it is an excellent laboratory for studying high-mass X-ray binaries. We present an initial analysis of the discrete source population of M82, with an emphasis on the ultraluminous X-ray sources, using new and archival observations from the Chandra X-ray Observatory. M82 has been observed for more than 700 ks with ACIS and an additional 190 ks with the HRC, with observations spanning the entire Chandra lifetime to date. These data paint a portrait of the complex spectral and temporal variability of the high-mass X-ray binary population of a starburst galaxy. We will discuss the properties of these sources and the impact they have on the shape of the X-ray luminosity function.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #217
- Pub Date:
- January 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011AAS...21732507K