Black Hole X-ray Novae in M31We have been carring out a Chandra (GO+GTO) and HST (GO) program to find Black Hole X-ray Nova (BHXN) and their optical counterparts in M31 for several years. To date we have found >2 dozen BHXN and 3 HST optical counterparts for these BHXN. Our results suggest a rather high ratio of BH to neutron star (NS) binaries, or a high duty cycle for the BHXN. We propose to continue this program, with the goal of determining the orbital period distribution and duty cycles of these BHXN. Current results yield 3 orbital periods and 2 upper limits. Our proposed observations will ~double the total number of periods and therefore yield sufficient numbers to make a first approximation of the orbital period distribution. The orbital period distribution is the fundamental observable parameter any binary stellar evolution models must match, and the duty cycle is very poorly known but directly influences the binary lifetime. M31 is the only galaxy in which this extra-galactic study of BHXN is feasible.We will use the ACS camera to obtain images of active Black Hole X-ray Novae (BHXNe) in M31. These BHXNe will be identified on Chandra-ACIS observations obtained approximately 1 month prior to each HST observation. We will therefore be splitting up our 20 HST orbits into 10 visits (two orbits per visit). The current plan will use the first 5 observations to detect the optical counterparts of 5 BHXNe and the last 5 observations to revisit those 5 BHXN counterparts to ensure that they were optical transients. This plan may be slightly altered over the course of the program depending on when and where the BHXNe are detected.These observations will be scheduled during the full CXO AO7 program, which runs during HST C14 and C15.
Our first 5 two-orbit visits must be performed at intervals of one per month (or a longer interval) in order to find a counterpart for a new BHXN with each observation. Our preliminary studies indicate that about one new BHXN activates each month. We will obtain the 5 HST exposures during the available observing windows in February, June, July, August and October 2006. The CXO exposures would preceed each of these by 1 month.
We have scheduled all the other 5 HST observations required to confirm the optical counterparts to the BHXNe during the first available observing window for M31 during HST C15 (January 2007). The science exposures and visibility period must be determined accurately and updated using suitable software for Cycle 15.As we will not know the exact location of our target until a Chandra observation is completed, we cannot provide final coordinates for our objects until about 3 weeks prior to each observation. As a result, we have currently supplied the coordinates of the nucleus of M31 as a hold position, to be corrected to the final position when we detect the BHXN. These detections will be within 1 degree of the M31 nucleus.GALAXIES12false250.0falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseSUPPORTEDUNIDENTIFIEDOPTICAL EMITTERULTRAVIOLET EMITTERX-RAY EMITTERJ200000 42 44.4000+41 16 8.30J2000UNIDENTIFIEDOPTICAL EMITTERULTRAVIOLET EMITTERX-RAY EMITTERJ200000 42 44.4000+41 16 8.30J2000UNIDENTIFIEDOPTICAL EMITTERULTRAVIOLET EMITTERX-RAY EMITTERJ200000 42 44.4000+41 16 8.30J2000UNIDENTIFIEDX-RAY EMITTERULTRAVIOLET EMITTEROPTICAL EMITTERJ200000 42 44.4000+41 16 8.30J2000UNIDENTIFIEDX-RAY EMITTERULTRAVIOLET EMITTEROPTICAL EMITTERJ200000 42 44.4000+41 16 8.30J2000ACS/WFCImagingNoNoF435WACS/WFCImagingNoNoF435WACS/WFCImagingNoNoF435WACS/WFCImagingNoNoF435WACS/WFCImagingNoNoF435WPOS-TARGDITHER0.265LINE0.187falsefalse69.050003420.67ACS-WFC-DITHER-BOX1falsePOS-TARGDITHER0.559017LINE0.559017falsefalse143.130096426.56505WFPC2-BOX2false
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