The wind-wind collision (WWC) in eccentric massive binary systems producespredictably variable shock-heated X-ray plasma. This collision provides an ideallaboratory for shock astrophysics, providing key constraints on how gasthermalizes at variable density and on particle acceleration. Joint NuSTAR andXMM-Newton observation of WR 140 in AO14 discovered an extremely hard X-raycomponent, which can originate either from a kT virgul13 keV plasma orinverse-Compton scattering. WR 140 will experience its periastron passage in2016 Dec., a critical time when the WWC emission changes dramatically. Wepropose joint NuSTAR and XMM-Newton observations of WR 140 at key phases aroundperiastron in AO15, to determine the origin of this component and answer questions about the abrupt X-ray flux decrease.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2016-12-04T05:54:25Z/2016-12-26T11:10:00Z
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, Dr Kenji Hamaguchi, 2018, 'COLLIDING WIND X-RAY EMISSION FROM THE MASSIVE BINARY WR140 AROUND PERIASTRON', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-m913cro
