HMXBCAT - Catalog of High-Mass X-Ray Binaries in the Galaxy (4th Ed.)

Overview

This table contains the 4th edition of the Catalog of High-Mass X-Ray Binaries (HMXBs) in the Galaxy. The catalog contains source name(s), coordinates, finding charts, X-ray luminosities, system parameters, and stellar parameters of the components and other characteristic properties for 114 HMXBs, together with a comprehensive selection of the relevant literature. The aim of this catalog is to provide some basic information on the X-ray sources and their counterparts in other wavelength ranges (gamma-rays, UV, optical, IR, radio). About 60% of the high-mass X-ray binary candidates are known or suspected Be/X-ray binaries, while 32% are supergiant/X-ray binaries. Some sources, however, are only tentatively identified as high-mass X-ray binaries on the basis of their X-ray properties similar to the known high-mass X-ray binaries. Further identification in other wavelength bands is needed to finally determine the nature of these sources. In cases where there is some doubt about the high-mass nature of the X-ray binary this is noted. Literature published before 1 October 2005 has, as far as possible, been taken into account.

Information on the numbers used to code references is available at the URL https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/ftp/cats/J/A+A/455/1165/refs.dat

Individual notes on each HMXB are available at the URL https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/ftp/cats/J/A+A/455/1165/notes.dat

Catalog Bibcode

2006A&A...455.1165L

References

Catalogue of high-mass X-ray binaries in the Galaxy (4th edition).
    Liu Q.Z., van Paradijs J., van den Heuvel E.P.J.
    <Astron. Astrophys. 455, 1165 (2006)>
    =2006A&A...455.1165L        (SIMBAD/NED BibCode)

Provenance

This database was first created by the HEASARC in January 2001, based on the 2000 version of this catalog. It was updated to the 4th edition in September 2006, based on the CDS catalog J/A+A/455/1165.

Parameters

Name
The X-ray source designation, with a prefix identifying a high-energy experiment which detected its emission, and a position-based string based on its 1950 coordinates, unless preceded by a 'J' in which case it is based on its J2000 coordinates.

Xray_Type
The X-ray type of the high-mass X-ray binary:

         P: X-ray pulsar (66).
         T: Transient X-ray source (62).
         E: Eclipsing system (9).
         R: Radio-emitting HMXB (9).
         C: Cyclotron resonance scattering feature in X-ray spectrum (16).
         U: Ultra-soft X-ray spectrum (1).These sources include black-hole
             candidates (BHC); some 'extreme ultra-soft' (EUS) sources may be
             white dwarfs (WD) on whose surfaces steady nuclear burning is
             taking place.

RA
The Right Ascension of the source in the selected equinox. This was given in J2000 coordinates to an accuracy of 0.1 seconds of time (except in a small number of cases where it was given with either more or less precision) in the originating table.

Dec
The Declination of the source in the selected equinox. This was given in J2000 coordinates to an accuracy of 1 arcsecond (except in a small number of cases where it was given with either more or less precision) in the originating table.

LII
The Galactic Longitude of the source.

BII
The Galactic Latitude of the source.

Position_Type
The energy range of the observation used for the derivation of the source position: O: optical; X: X-ray; R: radio; IR: infrared.

Optical_Name
The name or type of the optical counterpart, if known, or more generic information: 'No.' followed by a number or letter refers to star number used in the finding chart, while 'star' refers to a star in the finding chart that has not been assigned a number or letter.

Ref_Optical
Reference codes for the finding chart(s) for the optical counterpart. The reference code key can be found at https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/ftp/cats/J/A+A/455/1165/refs.dat

Vmag_Limit
A limit flag for the V magnitude, where '>' means fainter than the quoted value.

Vmag
The apparent visual (V) Magnitude of the optical counterpart. If a range of visual magnitudes is known for a source, this parameter lists the maximum (brightest) magnitude while the parameter vmag_min lists the minimum (faintest) magnitude.

Vmag_Min
If a range of visual magnitudes is known for a source, this parameter lists the minimum (faintest) magnitude, while the parameter vmag lists the maximum (brightest) magnitude.

Vmag_Flag
A flag for the V magnitude (vmag) which is set to ':' if the value of vmag is considered uncertain.

BV_Color
The B-V color index of the optical counterpart. If a range of (B-V) values is known for a source, this parameter lists the minimum (bluest) value while the parameter bv_color_max lists the maximum (reddest) value.

BV_Color_Flag
A flag for the B-V Color which is set to ':' if its value is considered uncertain.

BV_Color_Max
If a range of (B-V) values is known for a source, this parameter lists the maximum (reddest) value, while the parameter bv_color lists the minimum (bluest) value.

UB_Color
The U-B color index of the optical counterpart.

Reddening
The interstellar reddening E(B-V) of the optical counterpart. If a range of E(B-V) values is known for a source, this parameter lists the minimum value while the parameter reddening_max lists the maximum value.

Reddening_Max
If a range of E(B-V) values is known for a source, this parameter lists the maximum value while the parameter reddening lists the minimum value.

Reddening_Flag
A flag for the reddening which is set to ':' if its value is considered uncertain.

Ref_Photometry
The reference codes for the optical counterpart photometric information. The reference code key can be found at https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/ftp/cats/J/A+A/455/1165/refs.dat

Jmag
The Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) J (1.25 microns) magnitude of the optical counterpart.

Hmag_Limit
A limit flag for the 2MASS H magnitude.

Hmag
The Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) H (1.65 microns) magnitude of the optical counterpart.

Kmag_Limit
A limit flag for the 2MASS K magnitude.

Kmag
The Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) Ks (2.17 microns) magnitude of the optical counterpart.

Fx_Limit
If the value of the X-ray flux (fx) is an upper limit rather than a detection, this flag is set to '<'.

Fx
The average observed X-ray flux (density) in microJanskies (µJy) in the 2 - 10 keV energy range, unless (i) a range of X-ray flux (densities) is known, in which case this parameter contains the minimum observed X-ray flux (density) and the parameter fx_max contains the maximum observed X-ray flux (density), or (ii) the observed X-ray flux (density) is known for a different energy range, as specified by the fx_range parameter.

Notice that 1 uJy = 10^-29 erg/s/cm²/Hz = 2.4 10^-12 erg/s/cm²/keV.

Fx_Max
If a range of X-ray flux (densities) is known for a source, this parameter contains the maximum observed X-ray flux (density) and the parameter fx contains the minimum observed X-ray flux (density).

Fx_Range
This parameter contains the energy range corresponding to the quoted X-ray flux values (fx and fx_max). If blank, the energy range should be assumed to be 2 - 10 keV.

Ref_Fx
A reference code(s) for the X-ray flux (density) values. The reference code key can be found at https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/ftp/cats/J/A+A/455/1165/refs.dat

Porb
The orbital period of the HMXB, in days.

Porb_Flag
A flag that is set to '?' if the orbital period value is uncertain.

Pulse_Per
For X-ray pulsars, this is the pulse period, in seconds.

Pulse_Per_Flag
A flag that is set to '?' if the pulse period value is uncertain.

Ref_Periods
A reference code(s) for the orbital and/or pulse periods. The reference code key can be found at https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/ftp/cats/J/A+A/455/1165/refs.dat

Spect_Type
The spectral type of the optical counterpart.

Alt_Name_1
An alternative name for the HMXB.

Alt_Name_1_Flag
A flag that is set to '?' if the identification with the named source is uncertain.

Alt_Name_2
A second alternative name for the HMXB.

Alt_Name_3
A third alternative name for the HMXB.

Class
The HEASARC Browse classification, based on a combination of the X-ray type and optical spectral type information.

Contact Person

Questions regarding the HMXBCAT database table can be addressed to the HEASARC Help Desk.

Page Author: Browse Software Development Team
Last Modified: Friday, 08-Nov-2024 14:52:10 EST