The Swift-BAT hard X-ray sky monitoring unveils the orbital period of the HMXB IGR J16493-4348

TL;DR

This study uses Swift-BAT data to identify the orbital period and eclipse of the high-mass X-ray binary IGR J16493-4348, revealing its wind-fed nature and orbital parameters.

Contribution

First detection of the orbital period and eclipse in IGR J16493-4348 using Swift-BAT data, providing new insights into its binary system characteristics.

Findings

Orbital period of ~6.78 days identified.

Detected a full eclipse of the compact object.

System is likely wind-fed with low eccentricity.

Abstract

IGR J16493-4348 is a supergiant high mass X-ray binary discovered by INTEGRAL in 2004. The source is detected at a significance level of $\sim21$ standard deviations in the Swift-BAT survey data collected during the first 54 months of the Swift mission. The timing analysis reveals an orbital period of $\sim$6.78 days and the presence of a full eclipse of the compact ob\ ject. The dynamical range (variability up to a factor $\sim$20) observed during the BAT monitoring suggests that IGR J16493-4348 is a wind-fed system. The derived semi-major axis of the binary system is $\sim55 R_{\sun}$ with an orbit eccentr\ icity lower than 0.15.