It's Moving, It's Alive!: High Resolution View of IGR J16320-4751 AND MS 1603.6+2600
Faculty Mentor Name
Pragati Pradhan
Format Preference
Poster
Abstract
X-ray binaries are some of the most extreme environments in the universe. These systems consist of a compact object, such as a black hole or neutron star, and a companion star. The main types of X-ray binaries are high mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) and low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs), which differ by the mass of the companion star. We are studying sources of X-ray variability in one HMXB, IGR J16320-4751, and one LMXB, MS 1603.6+2600. The causes of X-ray variability in IGR J16320-4751 are either stochastic or periodic, with clumpy wind causing the stochastic variability and a potential accretion wake forming at later phases causing the periodic variability. The causes of X-ray variability in MS 1603.6+2600 boils down to the accretion disk around the neutron star dipping at inconsistent times, resulting in the pulsar-like characteristics emanating from this stellar source. For both sources, we are comparing data from multiple telescopes around low Earth orbit (LEO): NuSTAR, NICER, and Chandra.
It's Moving, It's Alive!: High Resolution View of IGR J16320-4751 AND MS 1603.6+2600
X-ray binaries are some of the most extreme environments in the universe. These systems consist of a compact object, such as a black hole or neutron star, and a companion star. The main types of X-ray binaries are high mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) and low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs), which differ by the mass of the companion star. We are studying sources of X-ray variability in one HMXB, IGR J16320-4751, and one LMXB, MS 1603.6+2600. The causes of X-ray variability in IGR J16320-4751 are either stochastic or periodic, with clumpy wind causing the stochastic variability and a potential accretion wake forming at later phases causing the periodic variability. The causes of X-ray variability in MS 1603.6+2600 boils down to the accretion disk around the neutron star dipping at inconsistent times, resulting in the pulsar-like characteristics emanating from this stellar source. For both sources, we are comparing data from multiple telescopes around low Earth orbit (LEO): NuSTAR, NICER, and Chandra.