A Possible Period for the K-Band Brightening Episodes of GX 17+2

Creators: Bornak, Jillian; McNamara, Bernard J.; Harrison, Thomas E.; Rupen, Michael; Bandyopadhyay, Reba M.; Wachter, Stefanie

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.

Additional Information

© 2009 American Astronomical Society. Print publication: Issue 2 (2009 August 20); received 2009 March 4; accepted for publication 2009 July 21; published 2009 August 7. This material is based upon work supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Proposal No. 92042 issued through the Science Mission Directorate. Support for this work was also provided by the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium, and the New Mexico Higher Education Department. Results provided by the ASM/RXTE teams at MIT and at the RXTE SOF and GOF at NASA's GSFC, by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO)/Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)/National Science Foundation (NSF), and based on observations obtained with the Apache Point Observatory 3.5 m telescope, which is owned and operated by the Astrophysical Research Consortium. This research has made use of theNASA/ IPACInfrared Science Archive, which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Facilities: RXTE, CTIO: 1.3 m, KPNO: 2.1 m, APO: 3.5 m, VLA

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