NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2012A-0352
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2012A-0352 |
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PI: Jifeng Liu, SAO, jfliu@cfa.harvard.edu
Address: 60 Garden St, Cambridge, MA 02138, US
CoI: Rosanne Di Stefano, SAO
CoI: Jeffrey McClintock, SAO
Title: In search of black hole binaries in quiescence and low state
Abstract:
Here we propose a program to test our new method of searching for
black holes in quiescent/low states. Four decades of X-ray observations
have discovered and confirmed 20+ stellar mass black holes, only a tip
of a tip of the iceberg as compared to the millions of black holes
expected in the Milky Way. This is because these discoveries rely on
the X-ray outbursts of the black hole binaries, thus missing the
majority that have remained in quiescent or low states in the past. We
are working to discover those quiet black holes by combining GALEX, SDSS
and Chandra, because they are expected to show a stellar component, a UV-
excess, and X-ray luminosities of 1e32-34 erg/s. Here we propose a
program to observe ten qLMXB candidates with CTIO-1.3m in queue mode to
obtain light curves. These observations will confirm whether they are
ellipsoidal light curves as expected for quiet BH/NS X-ray binaries.
Once confirmed as ellipsoidal binaries, we will initiate spectroscopic
monitoring observations to obtain radial velocity curves, which will
allow us to compute the masses of the primary and determine whether they
are black holes or neutron stars.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2012A-0352 |
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