The XMM-Newton survey of the Small Magellanic Cloud: Discovery of the 11.866 s Be/X-ray binary pulsar XMMUJ004814.0-732204 (SXP11.87)

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery and analysis of a new Be/X-ray binary pulsar in the Small Magellanic Cloud, characterized by X-ray pulsations, spectral features, and optical variability, contributing to understanding of high mass X-ray binary populations.

Contribution

The study presents the first detailed analysis of a newly discovered Be/X-ray binary pulsar with combined X-ray and optical data, revealing its pulsation period, spectral properties, and optical counterpart characteristics.

Findings

Detected 11.866 s X-ray pulsations.

Identified optical counterpart as early B-type star.

Confirmed Be/X-ray binary nature through spectral and variability analysis.

Abstract

One of the goals of the XMM-Newton survey of the Small Magellanic Cloud is the study of the Be/X-ray binary population. During one of our first survey observations a bright new transient - XMMUJ004814.0-732204 - was discovered. We present the analysis of the EPIC X-ray data together with optical observations, to investigate the spectral and temporal characteristics of XMMUJ004814.0-732204. We found coherent X-ray pulsations in the EPIC data with a period of (11.86642 +/- 0.00017) s. The X-ray spectrum can be modelled by an absorbed power-law with indication for a soft excess. Depending on the modelling of the soft X-ray spectrum, the photon index ranges between 0.53 and 0.66. We identify the optical counterpart as a B = 14.9mag star which was monitored during the MACHO and OGLE-III projects. The optical light curves show regular outbursts by ~0.5 mag in B and R and up to 0.9 mag in I which repeat with a time scale of about 1000 days. The OGLE-III optical colours of the star are consistent with an early B spectral type. An optical spectrum obtained at the 1.9 m telescope of the South African Astronomical Observatory in December 2009 shows H_alpha emission with an equivalent width of 3.5 +/- 0.6 A. The X-ray spectrum and the detection of pulsations suggest that XMMUJ004814.0-732204 is a new high mass X-ray binary pulsar in the SMC. The long term variability and the H_alpha emission line in the spectrum of the optical counterpart identify it as a Be/X-ray binary system.