Characterizing High Mass X-Ray Binary Environments: MOST and Spitzer Space Telescope Observations

Abstract

A long‐term observing project to determine unknown orbital periods in High Mass X‐ray Binaries (HMXB) has been underway since 2005. The primary search methods are to look for periodicities in optical light curves and in spectroscopically measured radial velocities. In the course of our searches, other non‐orbital periodicities and variations were found that likely were caused by either stellar pulsation or changes in the configuration of circumstellar dust and gas. The more unusual observations were followed up by observations with the Canadian MOST and NASA’s Spitzer space telescopes. The MOST data point to a low eccentricity orbit and a normally clump‐free circumstellar environment in the HMXB LS 5039. The Spitzer data, still preliminary, do not show any variation above systematic instrumental effects at wavelengths of 3.6 and 4.5 μm again implying a normally clump‐free circumstellar environment.