Multiwavelength observations of KS 1947+300

TL;DR

This study investigates the long-term optical and X-ray variability of the Be/X-ray binary KS 1947+300, revealing disk structural changes and irregular outburst patterns linked to an evolving circumstellar disk.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the relationship between optical variability, disk dynamics, and X-ray outbursts in KS 1947+300, highlighting the role of disk precession and structural changes.

Findings

Optical and IR variability correlates with X-ray activity and disk evolution.

Detected periodic signals suggest structural disk changes possibly due to matter ejection mechanisms.

X-ray outbursts are irregular, likely caused by disk precession and evolving disk geometry.

Abstract

KS 1947+300 is a Be/X-ray binary. Despite its nearly circular orbit, it displays both giant and regular less intense X-ray outbursts. According to the viscous decretion disk model, such low eccentric binaries should not show periodic outbursts. We have studied the long-term optical variability of KS 1947+300 and its relationship with X-ray activity. Our objective is to investigate the origin of this variability. KS 1947+300 exhibits changes in brightness and H$\alpha$ emission on time scales from months to years. The optical and IR variability shows small amplitude changes during the active X-ray state, and a long, smooth decrease during the quiescent state. The fact that the amplitude of variability increased with wavelength suggests that the long-term decrease of the optical emission is due to the weakening of the circumstellar disk. Structural changes in the disk may also be the origin of the periodic signals with periods $\sim200$ days detected in the ZTF-{\it g} and {\it r} band light curves. We speculate that these changes are related to the mechanism that ejects matter from the photosphere of the Be star into the disk. We have also studied the X-ray variability that manifested as a series of type I outbursts after the two giant outburst in 2000 and 2013 and found that the intensity and peak orbital phase differ from outburst to outburst. The type I outbursts in KS 1947+300 are not strictly periodic. This irregularity could result from precession of the interacting points between the neutron star and the disk, namely the disk apastron and the two nodes of the disk. The long-term changes in optical continuum and line emission and the X-ray variability patterns are attributed to an evolving and distorted decretion disk.