X-ray study of WR 48-6: A possible colliding wind binary

TL;DR

This study analyzes X-ray observations of WR 48-6, suggesting it is a potential colliding wind binary with characteristic plasma temperatures and variable local absorption, but stable overall X-ray luminosity.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed X-ray spectral analysis of WR 48-6 and proposes it as a new candidate for a colliding wind binary system.

Findings

X-ray spectrum fits a two-temperature plasma model

No significant X-ray variability observed

Possible increase in local absorption between epochs

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation of the X-ray emission associated with the Wolf-Rayet star, WR 48-6, using observations from the XMM Newton and Chandra X-ray telescopes covering two epochs separated by eleven months. The X-ray spectrum of WR 48-6 is well explained by a two-temperature plasma model, with cool and hot plasma temperatures of $0.8_{-0.2}^{\,+0.1}$ and $2.86_{-0.66}^{\,+1.01}$ keV. No significant X-ray variability is observed during these two epochs of observations. However, an increase in the local hydrogen column density accompanied by a decrease in the intrinsic X-ray flux between two epochs of observations is seen. Additionally, the intrinsic X-ray luminosity is found to be more than $10^{33} \rm\,erg\,s^{-1}$ during both epochs of observations. Based on the analysis presented, WR 48-6 is a promising colliding wind binary candidate with a possible companion of spectral type O5-O6.