# Confirmation of six Be X-ray binaries in the Small Magellanic Cloud

## TL;DR

This study confirms six new Be X-ray binaries in the Small Magellanic Cloud using X-ray and optical data, and reports two probable binary periods, enhancing understanding of the SMC's X-ray binary population.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a method combining probability parameters with optical spectra and timing to confirm new X-ray binaries in the SMC.

## Key findings

- Confirmed six new Be X-ray binaries in the SMC.
- Reported two probable binary periods of 36.4d and 72.2d.
- Enhanced the known population of X-ray binaries in the SMC.

## Abstract

The X-ray binary population of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) contains a large number of massive X-ray binaries and the recent survey of the SMC by XMM-Newton has resulted in almost 50 more tentative high mass X-ray binary candidates. Using probability parameters from Haberl & Sturm (2016) together with the optical spectra and timing in this work, we confirm six new massive X-ray binaries in the SMC. We also report two very probable binary periods; of 36.4d in XMM 1859 and of 72.2 d in XMM 2300. These Be X-ray binaries are likely part of the general SMC population which rarely undergoes an X-ray outburst.