Abstract Details

Name: Bhuvana GR
Affiliation: Christ (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru
Conference ID: ASI2019_117
Title : A comprehensive spectral and timing analysis of LMC X-2 using RXTE data
Authors and Co-Authors : G. R. Bhuvana1, Neal Titus Thomas1, S. B. Gudennavar1, S. G. Bubbly1 and R. Misra2 1 Department of Physics and Electronics, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Hosur Road, Bengaluru-560029, India. 2 Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Ganeshkind, Pune-411007, India.
Abstract Type : Poster
Abstract Category : Extragalactic Astronomy
Abstract : LMC X-2, located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, is the first extra-galactic neutron star low mass X-ray binary (NS-LMXB) that has been classified as a Z source. This Sco-like Z source has a very high luminosity (∼0.5−2 Ledd) which makes it the brightest LMXB ever known. Unlike the usual Z type NS-LMXBs, which are persistent in nature, the analysis of the long-term light curve of this source reveals a transient nature. Previous studies with hardness intensity diagram (HID) and colour-colour diagram (CD) have shown that the source exhibits 2.5 –10 % secular shift which is intriguing as such shifts are rare in Sco-like Z sources. In addition, QPOs, which are prominent temporal features of Z-type LMXBs, have not been found in LMC X-2 which is unusual. In order to understand this unusual behaviour, we have undertaken a comprehensive study of LMC X-2 using 132 observations during 2001-2002 on LMC X-2 by PCA on-board RXTE. The present work focuses on spectral and timing analysis of this source to understand its long-term variability in X-ray light curve. The results of our analysis on the degree and timescale of the observed secular variations, and the temporal signatures of this source will be presented.