Identifying four $INTEGRAL$ sources in the Galactic Plane via VLT/optical and $XMM$-$Newton$/X-ray spectroscopy

TL;DR

This study uses optical and X-ray spectroscopy to identify the nature of four INTEGRAL sources in the Galactic Plane, revealing diverse classifications including cataclysmic variables, a Seyfert galaxy, and a symbiotic system, and challenging previous source identifications.

Contribution

It provides new spectroscopic classifications for four INTEGRAL sources, clarifying their nature and challenging prior assumptions about IGR J19173+0747.

Findings

IGR J18088-2741 is a cataclysmic variable beyond 8 kpc.

IGR J18381-0924 is a low-luminosity Seyfert 1.9 galaxy at z=0.031.

IGR J17164-3803 is an X-ray faint symbiotic system with an M2 III star.

Abstract

We report on FORS2 spectroscopy aiming at the identification of four Galactic Plane sources discovered by $INTEGRAL$, IGR J18088-2741, IGR J18381-0924, IGR J17164-3803, and IGR J19173+0747, complemented by $XMM$-$Newton$ spectroscopy for IGR J18381-0924. The presence of broad emission lines of neutral H and He and a flat Balmer decrement H{\alpha}/H{\beta} show that IGR J18088-2741 is a cataclysmic variable located beyond 8 kpc. For IGR J18381-0924, the detection of red-shifted H{\alpha} and neutral O emission signatures and the absence of narrow forbidden emission lines point towards a low-luminosity Seyfert 1.9 nature at $z=0.031\pm0.002$. Its $XMM$-$Newton$ spectrum, best-fit by an absorbed ${\Gamma}=1.19\pm0.07$ power law combined with a $z=0.026_{-0.016}^{+0.008}$ red-shifted iron emission feature, is in agreement with this classification. The likely IGR J17164-3803 optical counterpart is an M2 III star at 3 to 4 kpc which, based on the X-ray spectrum of the source, is the companion of a white dwarf in an X-ray faint symbiotic system. Finally, we challenge the accepted identification of IGR J19173+0747 as an high mass X-ray binary. Indeed, the USNO optical counterpart is actually a blend of two objects located at the most likely 3 kpc distance, both lying within the error circle of the Swift position. The first is a cataclysmic variable, which we argue is the real nature of IGR J19173+0747. However, we cannot rule out the second one that we identify as an F3 V star that, if associated to IGR J19173+0747, likely belongs to a quiescent X-ray binary.