Open AccessThe optical long ‘period’ of LMC X‐3
Author(s) -
Brocksopp C.,
Groot P.J.,
Wilms J.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2001.04849.x
Subject(s) - physics , light curve , astrophysics , accretion (finance) , accretion disc , modulation (music) , lag , astronomy , acoustics , computer network , computer science
We have studied the long‐term variability of LMC X‐3 in optical light curves spanning 6 yr, in order to search for optical signatures which could confirm or refute the suggestion that the ‘modulation’ is the result of accretion‐rate variability rather than accretion‐disc precession. We find that there is no stable period in the optical light curves, that the optical and X‐ray light curves are correlated, with an X‐ray lag, and that there is no modulation in the optical colours. We argue that these effects agree with the variable mass‐accretion rate model proposed by Wilms et al.