Open AccessDisplacement of X‐ray sources from star clusters in starburst galaxies
Author(s) -
Kaaret P.,
AlonsoHerrero A.,
Gallagher J. S.,
Fabbiano G.,
Zezas A.,
Rieke M. J.
Publication year - 2004
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07516.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , galaxy , star cluster , star formation , astronomy , galaxy cluster , star (game theory) , proper motion , x ray , stars , quantum mechanics
We examine the spatial offsets between X‐ray point sources and star clusters in three starburst galaxies. We find that the X‐ray sources are preferentially located near the star clusters. Because the star clusters are very good tracers of the star formation activity in the galaxies, this indicates that the X‐ray sources are young objects associated with current star formation. We find significant displacements of the X‐ray sources from the clusters. These displacements are likely due to motion of the X‐ray sources and indicates that they are X‐ray binaries. We find that brighter X‐ray sources preferentially occur closer to clusters. The absence of very bright sources at large displacements from clusters may help constrain models of the sources.