Previous   |   Session 76   |   Next

[76.01] Investigating The Ultraviolet Environment of Ultraluminous X-ray sources

L.M. Winter (University of Maryland), R. Mushotzky (Goddard Space Flight Center), C.S. Reynolds (University of Maryland)

The nature of ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULX), bright, non-nuclear X-ray sources with luminosities in excess of the Eddington limit for a neutron star, continues to be a topic of debate. One clue to their nature may be their environments. Many of these objects are associated with starburst galaxies, and a number have been found near HII regions. We have conducted an archival XMM-Newton study of the ULX population in 32 nearby (< 8 Mpc) galaxies. Using the OM UVW2/UVW1 images, we categorized the placement of the ULX relative to any nearby HII regions. Within our sample, we find roughly equal numbers of ULX associated with, outside of, and in absence of, HII regions. We further correlate X-ray spectral properties with the ULX environment.

Previous   |   Session 76   |   Next

Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 5
© 2004. The American Astronomical Society.