Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
X-ray Sources in Normal Galaxies: M 31
Deutsche Version MPE High-Energy Astrophysics X-Ray Astronomy Research Activities Normal Galaxies 
M31 Survey
An X-ray survey of M 31 using XMM-Newton
The X-ray source population of the Andromeda galaxy M 31
The observations from the successful proposal started in June 2006.PI:
W. Pietsch, MPE Garching
CoIs:
R. Barnard, Open University, UK
V. Burwitz, MPE
M. Freyberg, MPE
J. Greiner, MPE
F. Haberl, MPE
D. Hatzidimitriou, University of Crete, Greece
M. Hernanz, IEEC, Spain
G. Israel, INAF, Italy
U. Kolb, Open University
A. Kong, MIT
P. Reig, University of Crete
G. Sala, MPE
M. Sasaki, CfA, P. Plucinsky, CfA
L. Shaw Greening, Open University
B. Williams, University of Washington
Abstract:
We propose a deep homogeneous survey of M 31 down to a limiting point source luminosity of 10^35 erg s^-1 which will include all active X-ray binaries (XRBs). M 31 is a milestone project for X-ray astronomy. Given its proximity it is the ultimate target for a detailed X-ray inventory of an archetypal low-star-formation-rate galaxy like our own. We will study M 31 XRBs and globular cluster sources (GCSs), supersoft sources (SSSs), supernova remnants (SNRs) and the hot interstellar medium (ISM) in contrast to foreground and background objects. The observations will provide high quality spectra and light curves, allowing source classification through the power density spectra and modeling of their spectral energy distributions. The population characteristics of high and low mass XRBs (HMXBs, LMXBs) will provide independent constraints on the star formation history of M 31, the Local Group in general, as well as constraints on the formation channels of compact objects.
© X-Ray Group at MPE (group)
last update:09-10-2006, editor of this page:Wolfgang Pietsch, Frank Haberl
