The Local Environments of Ultra-Luminous X-Ray Sources in Interacting Galaxies

Beverly J Smith; Olivia Miller; Michael A. Nowak; Curtis Struck

The Local Environments of Ultra-Luminous X-Ray Sources in Interacting Galaxies

Beverly J Smith
, Olivia Miller
, Michael A. Nowak
, Curtis Struck

Department of Physics and Astronomy

East Tennessee State University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research
Iowa State University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

In the last several years, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory has discovered hundreds of ultra-luminous X-ray (ULX) point sources in nearby galaxies. These may be either intermediate mass (100 - 1000 solar mass) black holes or stellar mass black holes with anisotropic X-ray emission. To help distinguish between these possibilities, we are conducting a statistical analysis of the local environments of a sample of several hundred ULXs in nearby interacting galaxies. Using GALEX UV, SDSS optical, and Spitzer IR images, we investigate the stellar populations within the galaxies in the local vicinity of the ULXs. We also investigate whether the ULXs are more likely to be found in tidal features or in the inner disks of these galaxies. This research is supported by NASA Chandra grant AR9-0010A.

Original language	American English
Title of host publication	American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #218
Volume	43
State	Published - May 2011

Access to Document

https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011AAS...21822904S/abstract

Cite this

@inproceedings{da8e54fe43ad4c0eaf485940399daac2,

title = "The Local Environments of Ultra-Luminous X-Ray Sources in Interacting Galaxies",

abstract = "In the last several years, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory has discovered hundreds of ultra-luminous X-ray (ULX) point sources in nearby galaxies. These may be either intermediate mass (100 - 1000 solar mass) black holes or stellar mass black holes with anisotropic X-ray emission. To help distinguish between these possibilities, we are conducting a statistical analysis of the local environments of a sample of several hundred ULXs in nearby interacting galaxies. Using GALEX UV, SDSS optical, and Spitzer IR images, we investigate the stellar populations within the galaxies in the local vicinity of the ULXs. We also investigate whether the ULXs are more likely to be found in tidal features or in the inner disks of these galaxies. This research is supported by NASA Chandra grant AR9-0010A.",

author = "Smith, \{Beverly J\} and Olivia Miller and Nowak, \{Michael A.\} and Curtis Struck",

year = "2011",

month = may,

language = "American English",

volume = "43",

booktitle = "American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts \#218",

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TY - GEN

T1 - The Local Environments of Ultra-Luminous X-Ray Sources in Interacting Galaxies

AU - Smith, Beverly J

AU - Miller, Olivia

AU - Nowak, Michael A.

AU - Struck, Curtis

PY - 2011/5

Y1 - 2011/5

N2 - In the last several years, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory has discovered hundreds of ultra-luminous X-ray (ULX) point sources in nearby galaxies. These may be either intermediate mass (100 - 1000 solar mass) black holes or stellar mass black holes with anisotropic X-ray emission. To help distinguish between these possibilities, we are conducting a statistical analysis of the local environments of a sample of several hundred ULXs in nearby interacting galaxies. Using GALEX UV, SDSS optical, and Spitzer IR images, we investigate the stellar populations within the galaxies in the local vicinity of the ULXs. We also investigate whether the ULXs are more likely to be found in tidal features or in the inner disks of these galaxies. This research is supported by NASA Chandra grant AR9-0010A.

AB - In the last several years, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory has discovered hundreds of ultra-luminous X-ray (ULX) point sources in nearby galaxies. These may be either intermediate mass (100 - 1000 solar mass) black holes or stellar mass black holes with anisotropic X-ray emission. To help distinguish between these possibilities, we are conducting a statistical analysis of the local environments of a sample of several hundred ULXs in nearby interacting galaxies. Using GALEX UV, SDSS optical, and Spitzer IR images, we investigate the stellar populations within the galaxies in the local vicinity of the ULXs. We also investigate whether the ULXs are more likely to be found in tidal features or in the inner disks of these galaxies. This research is supported by NASA Chandra grant AR9-0010A.

M3 - Conference contribution

VL - 43

BT - American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #218

ER -