We propose to monitor the X-ray emission of the 8.6-year period, highlyeccentric (e = 0.7) O-type binary 9Sgr around its forthcoming periastronpassage. 9Sgr is known to display a synchrotron radio emission due torelativistic electrons accelerated in the wind-wind collision region. This windinteraction zone is expected be in the adiabatic regime and the X-ray fluxshould thus scale as the inverse of the orbital separation. Observations nearperiastron and at subsequent orbital phases will allow us to test this scenarioand to search for the possible presence of non-thermal X-ray emission, therebysetting constraints on the wind interaction phenomenon in a yet unexplored partof the parameter space.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2013-03-08T16:13:31Z/2014-03-05T13:56:47Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Prof Gregor Rauw, 2015, 'A test for the theory of colliding winds: the periastron passage of 9Sgr', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-i2zxyfo
