Optical studies of the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC1313 X-2

Abstract

NGC1313 X-2 was among the first ultraluminous X-ray sources discovered, and has been a frequent target of X-ray and optical observations. Using the HST/ACS multi-band observations, this source is identified with a unique counterpart within an error circle of $0\farcs2$. The counterpart is a blue star on the edge of a young cluster of $\le10^7$ years amid a dominant old stellar population. Its spectral energy distribution is consistent with that for a Z=0.004 star with 8.5 $M_\odot$ about $5\times10^6$ years old, or for an O7 V star at solar metallicity. The counterpart exhibited significant variability of $Δm = 0.153\pm0.033$ mag between two F555W observations separated by three months, reminiscent of the ellipsoidal variability due to the orbital motion of this ULX binary.

21 pages, 7 figures, scheduled for the ApJ June 10, 2007, v662n 1 issue