Optical and X-ray behaviour of the high mass X-ray transient A0535+26/HDE245770 in February-March 2014

TL;DR

This study examines the optical and X-ray behavior of the high-mass X-ray transient A0535+26/HDE245770 around the 2014 periastron, revealing an eight-day delay between optical and X-ray flares linked to accretion disk dynamics.

Contribution

The paper provides observational evidence of the optical and X-ray activity correlation and delay in A0535+26/HDE245770, supporting accretion disk models with turbulent viscosity.

Findings

Optical enhancement occurs at periastron.

X-ray outburst follows optical flare by about 8 days.

Spectroscopic activity correlates with accretion processes.

Abstract

The optical behaviour of the Be star in the high-mass X-ray transient A0535+26/HDE245770 shows that at periastron the luminosity is typically enhanced by 0.02 to a few tenths magnitude, and the X-ray outburst occurs eight days after the periastron. Indeed, at the periastron an increase of the mass flux occurs. This sort of flush reaches the external part of the temporary accretion disk around the neutron star and moves to the hot central parts of the accretion disk and the neutron star surface. The time necessary for this way is dependent on the turbulent viscosity in the accretion disk, as discussed by Giovannelli, Bisnovatyi-Kogan, and Klepnev (2013) (GBK13). In this paper we will show the behaviour of this system in optical band around the predicted periastron passage on 21st February 2014, by using the GBK13 ephemeris that we used to schedule our spectroscopic and photometric optical observations. Spectroscopic unusual activity detected in the Balmer lines and the enhancement in the emission in B, V, and R bands around the periastron passage, and the subsequent X-ray event definitively demonstrate the existence of about 8 day delay between optical and X-ray flares.