X-ray/optical observations of XTE J0421+560/CI Cam in quiescence

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dc.creatorOrlandini, M.
dc.creatorParmar, A. N.
dc.creatorFrontera, F.
dc.creatorMasetti, N.
dc.creatorFiume, D. Dal
dc.creatorOrr, A.
dc.creatorPiccioni, A.
dc.creatorRaimondo, G.
dc.creatorSantangelo, A.
dc.creatorValentini, G.
dc.creatorBelloni, T.
dc.date2000-01-31
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T01:51:58Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T01:51:58Z
dc.descriptionWe report on a BeppoSAX observation of the transient X-ray source XTE J0421+560 during quiescence performed ~150 days after the 1998 April outburst. The source had an unabsorbed 0.5-10 keV flux of 6.7x10^{-12} erg/cm2/s and was still remarkably soft with most of the emission below 2 keV. The X-ray spectrum can be fit with the same two-temperature model as the outburst observations. There is evidence for the presence of an Iron emission feature at ~7 keV. We report also on a series of optical observations performed using the 72 cm Teramo-Normale Telescope (TNT) of the Teramo Observatory, and the 1.5 m Loiano Telescope of the Bologna Observatory. The optical spectrum includes very strong Balmer emission lines, He I, [Fe II], and [O I] features. From the observed L_x/Lopt~10^{-3} the quiescent optical emission cannot be due to re-processing of the X-rays, but has to be generated in the optical companion or the circumstellar material. Moreover, the quiescent X-ray luminosity cannot be due to the optical star if it is of spectral type OB. Although the nature of the compact object present in the XTE J0421+560/CI Cam system cannot be firmly established, we speculate that it is most probably a white dwarf.
dc.description8 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, Main Journal
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0001530
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0001530
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/473
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.titleX-ray/optical observations of XTE J0421+560/CI Cam in quiescence
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