The Ohio State University College of Mathematical & Physical Sciences Department of Astronomy Colloquium Series 2006/7

Thursday, September 28, 3:30 p.m.
2015 McPherson Laboratory

Low-Mass X-ray Binaries, Diffuse Gas, and Globular Clusters in Early-Type Galaxies

Gregory Sivakoff
University of Virginia & The Ohio State University

The sub-arcsecond resolution of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory has resolved the X-ray content of nearby early-type galaxies into low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) and diffuse interstellar gas. Extragalactic low-mass X-ray binaries probe the massive stars formed billions of years ago in early-type galaxies and probe the properties of dense stellar environments (globular clusters). The ~50-200 bright LMXBs per galaxy are an incredible complementary sample to the ~150 active Galactic LMXBs; large LMXB samples reveal general LMXB properties and rare LMXB phenomena. The diffuse gas can be used to trace the history, mass, and dynamics of the galaxy environment. I discuss results from single- and multi-epoch observations of individual galaxies, as well as a sample of eleven early-type Virgo Cluster galaxies. In particular, I highlight results comparing this sample with Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys observations of globular clusters. Finally, I discuss future plans to explore the X-ray content of early-type galaxies.