Multiwavelength study of the transient X-ray binary IGR J01583+6713

Abstract

We have investigated multiband optical photometric variability and stability of the Hα line profile of the transient X-ray binary IGR J01583+6713. We set an upper limit of 0.05 mag on photometric variations in the V band over a time-scale of three months. The Hα line is found to consist of non-Gaussian profile and quite stable for a duration of two months. We have identified the spectral type of the companion star to be B2 IVe while the distance to the source is estimated to be ∼4.0 kpc. Along with the optical observations, we have also carried out analysis of X-ray data from three short observations of the source, two with the Swift–XRT and one with the RXTE–PCA. We have detected a variation in the absorption column density, from a value of 22.0 x 10²²cm−² immediately after the outburst down to 2.6 x 10²² cm−² four months afterwards. In the quiescent state, the X-ray absorption is consistent with the optical reddening measurement of E(B − V) = 1.46 mag. From one of the Swift observations, during which the X-ray intensity was higher, we have a possible pulse detection with a period of 469.2 s. For a Be X-ray binary, this indicates an orbital period in the range of 216–561 d for this binary system.