SXP 7.92: A Recently Rediscovered Be/X-ray Binary in the Small Magellanic Cloud, Viewed Edge On

Bartlett, E. S.; Coe, M. J.; Israel, G. L.; Clark, J. S.; Esposito, P.; D’Elia, V. and Udalski, A. (2017). SXP 7.92: A Recently Rediscovered Be/X-ray Binary in the Small Magellanic Cloud, Viewed Edge On. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 466(4) pp. 4659–4671.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx032

Abstract

We present a detailed optical and X-ray study of the 2013 outburst of the Small Magellanic Cloud Be/X-ray binary SXP 7.92, as well as an overview of the last 18 years of observations from OGLE (Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment), RXTE, Chandra and XMM-Newton. We revise the position of this source to RA(J2000) = 00:57:58.4, Dec(J2000) = −72:22:29.5 with a 1σ uncertainty of 1.5 arcsec, correcting the previously reported position by Coe et al. by more than 20 arcmin. We identify and spectrally classify the correct counterpart as a B1Ve star. The optical spectrum is distinguished by an uncharacteristically deep narrow Balmer series, with the Hα line in particular having a distinctive shell profile, i.e. a deep absorption core embedded in an emission line. We interpret this as evidence that we are viewing the system edge on and are seeing self-obscuration of the circumstellar disc. We derive an optical period for the system of 40.0 ± 0.3 d, which we interpret as the orbital period, and present several mechanisms to describe the X-ray/optical behaviour in the recent outburst, in particular the ‘flares'and ‘dips’ seen in the optical light curve, including a transient accretion disc and an elongated precessing disc.

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