A POSSIBLE PERIOD FOR THE K-BAND BRIGHTENING EPISODES OF GX 17+2

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/701/2/L110

A POSSIBLE PERIOD FOR THE K-BAND BRIGHTENING EPISODES OF GX 17+2

Jillian Bornak et al 2009 ApJ 701 L110-L113 doi: 10.1088/0004-637X/701/2/L110

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Jillian Bornak^1,5, Bernard J. McNamara^1,5,6, Thomas E. Harrison^1,5, Michael P. Rupen², Reba M. Bandyopadhyay^3,6 and Stefanie Wachter⁴
¹ Department of Astronomy, New Mexico State University, 1320 Frenger Mall, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
² NRAO, 1003 Lopezville Road, Socorro, NM 87801, USA
³ Department of Astronomy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
⁴ Spitzer Science Center, Caltech M/S 220-6, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
⁵ Visiting astronomer, Kitt Peak National Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.
⁶ Visiting astronomer, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.
E-mail: jbornak@nmsu.edu, bmcnamar@nmsu.edu, tharriso@nmsu.edu, mrupen@aoc.nrao.edu, reba@astro.ufl.edu and wachter@ipac.caltech.edu

ABSTRACT. The low-mass X-ray binary and Z source GX 17+2 undergoes infrared K-band brightening episodes of at least 3.5 mag. The source of these episodes is not known. Prior published K-band magnitudes and new K-band measurements acquired between 2006 and 2008 suggest that the episodes last at least 4 hr and have a period of 3.01254 ± 0.00002 days. Future bright episodes can be predicted using the ephemeris JD_max(n) = 2454550.79829 + (3.01254 ± 0.00002)(n) days. A growing body of evidence suggests that the GX 17+2 could have a synchrotron jet, which could cause this activity.

Key words: ISM: jets and outflows; radiation mechanisms: non-thermal; stars: individual (GX 17+2); stars: neutron; X-rays: binaries

Print publication: Issue 2 (2009 August 20)
Received 2009 March 4, accepted for publication 2009 July 21
Published 2009 August 7

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A POSSIBLE PERIOD FOR THE K-BAND BRIGHTENING EPISODES OF GX 17+2

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