X-Ray Emission from the Supergiant Shell in IC 2574

TL;DR

This study uses Chandra X-ray observations to analyze the supergiant shell in IC 2574, identifying a likely high-mass X-ray binary and hot gas related to recent star formation, revealing insights into stellar evolution and feedback in dwarf galaxies.

Contribution

First detailed X-ray analysis of the supergiant shell in IC 2574, identifying a high-mass X-ray binary and hot gas linked to recent star formation.

Findings

Detected a luminous point source likely a high-mass X-ray binary.

Observed diffuse X-ray emission consistent with hot gas from star formation.

Estimated the age of the X-ray source to be between 5 and 25 million years.

Abstract

The M81 group member dwarf galaxy IC 2574 hosts a supergiant shell of current and recent star-formation activity surrounding a 1000 x 500 pc hole in the ambient Hi gas distribution. Chandra X-ray Observatory imaging observations reveal a luminous, L_x ~ 6.5 x 10^{38} erg/s in the 0.3 - 8.0 keV band, point-like source within the hole but offset from its center and fainter diffuse emission extending throughout and beyond the hole. The star formation history at the location of the point source indicates a burst of star formation beginning ~25 Myr ago and currently weakening and there is a young nearby star cluster, at least 5 Myr old, bracketing the likely age of the X-ray source at between 5 and ~25 Myr. The source is thus likely a bright high-mass X-ray binary --- either a neutron star or black hole accreting from an early B star undergoing thermal-timescale mass transfer through Roche lobe overflow. The properties of the residual diffuse X-ray emission are consistent with those expected from hot gas associated with the recent star-formation activity in the region.