Resolving Powerful Outflows in a Nearby Transient Ultraluminous X-ray Source
Abstract
Recently, high resolution spectroscopy has revealed radiatively-driven ultrafast outflows in super-Eddington Ultraluminous X-ray Sources. Because most ULXs are at Mpc distances, the low signal-to-noise of these spectra limit our ability to probe the plasma properties and their evolution in time. We present a unique opportunity to obtain the highest quality high-resolution ULX spectra by targeting a transient ULX in the Magellanic Clouds. The quality of these three 25 ks ToO observations (joint with NuSTAR) will rival in statistics the future ATHENA spectra of bona fide ULXs. These observations will easily detect fast outflows in absorption (or place deep limits on their presence), as well as allow us to study the properties of the ionized plasma in emission, commonly seen in regular ULXs.
- Publication:
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Chandra Proposal
- Pub Date:
- September 2023
- Bibcode:
- 2023cxo..prop.6516K
- Keywords:
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- Chandra Proposal ID #25400276