Chandra X-ray and Gemini near-infrared observations of the eclipsing millisecond pulsar SWIFT J1749.4-2807 in quiescence
Author(s)
Chakrabarty, Deepto; Jonker, P. G.; Torres, Manuel A. P.; Steeghs, Danny
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We report on Chandra X-ray and Gemini-North near-infrared K-band observations of the eclipsing accretion-powered millisecond X-ray pulsar SWIFT J1749.4−2807 in quiescence. Using the Chandra observation we derive a source position of right ascension 17:49:31.73 and declination −28:08:05.08. The position is accurate to 0.6 arcsec (90 per cent confidence). We find one source at a magnitude K = 18.44 ± 0.03 with a position fully consistent with the accurate Chandra X-ray localization and a second source at K = 19.2 ± 0.1 that falls close to the edge of the error circle in the deep K-band images. The presence of a few weaker sources as suggested by previous H-band observations presented in the literature cannot be ruled out. There is marginal evidence that the brighter of the these two sources is variable. Follow-up spectroscopy of this potential counterpart will show if this source is the true counterpart to SWIFT J1749.4−2807. If so, baring the presence of complicating effects such as heating of the mass-donor star, it would allow for the mass of the neutron star to be measured through the measurement of periodic radial velocity variations.
Date issued
2012-12Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics; MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space ResearchJournal
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Citation
Jonker, P. G., M. A. P. Torres, D. Steeghs, and D. Chakrabarty. “Chandra X-Ray and Gemini Near-Infrared Observations of the Eclipsing Millisecond Pulsar SWIFT J1749.4-2807 in Quiescence.” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 429, no. 1 (February 11, 2013): 523–528.
Version: Author's final manuscript
ISSN
0035-8711
1365-2966