Rapid turn-on of a luminous X-ray source in the candidate Lyman continuum emitting galaxy Tol 0440-381. Issue 1 (14th December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kaaret, P; Bluem, J; Prestwich, A H
• Is Part Of: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Volume 511:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: L8
• Page End: L12
• Publication Date: 2021-12-14
• Subjects: galaxies: individual: Tol 0440-381 -- galaxies: star formation -- X-rays: binaries -- X-rays: galaxies; Astronomy -- Research -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 520.5
• DOI: 10.1093/mnrasl/slab127
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1745-3933

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Chandra observations of the nearby candidate Lyman continuum (LyC) emitting galaxy Tol 0440-381 show brightening of an X-ray source by at least a factor of 4 to a luminosity of $1.6 \times 10^{40} \rm \, erg \, s^{-1}$ over 3.8 d. The X-ray emission likely arises from either a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus or an ultraluminous X-ray source. The properties of the X-ray source are similar to those found in Haro 11 and Tololo 1247-232, the only other LyC emitting galaxies that have been resolved in X-rays. All three galaxies host luminous, variable, and hard-spectrum X-ray sources that are likely accretion-powered. Accretion on to compact objects produces powerful outflows and ionizing radiation that could help enable LyC escape.