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K.E. Whitaker, Q.D. Wang (University of Massachusetts Amherst)
We present preliminary results from an XMM-Newton study of the nearest starburst galaxy to the Milky Way, IC 10. IC 10 is a dwarf irregular galaxy in the Local Group about 2.3 million lightyears away. Due to a lack of observations of IC 10 in the X-ray wavelengths, there has not been any constraint put on the extent of the diffuse emission within the galaxy. There is no consensus on how much hot gas exists in the intrastellar medium and the distribution of the gas. As the first extensive observation with the XMM-Newton satellite, we can characterize the orientation and extent of the diffuse X-ray emission in IC 10. We find evidence for extended X-ray emission similar in orientation and extent with the large nonthermal radio superbubble surrounding the luminous X-ray binary, X-1. Typically, shell-like features similar to that found in IC 10 appear to enclose regions of enhanced diffuse emission. The diffuse emission of IC 10 appears to be azimuthally symmetric to ~15'', extending ~2' to the north of X-1, coinciding with the superbubble. We estimate the true diffuse emission and create surface brightness profiles in both one and two dimensions of IC 10, as well as performed a spectral and timing analysis on the variable source X-1. As the closest starburst galaxy, IC 10 provides a unique opportunity to study the physical properties of unknown objects in a local laboratory.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #2
© 2005. The American Astronomical Soceity.