HMXBCAT2 - Catalog of High-Mass X-Ray Binaries in the Galaxy (Dynamic Version)

Overview

High-Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXBs) are a particular class of high-energy sources which require multi-wavelength observational efforts to be properly characterized. New identifications and refinement of previous measurements are regularly published in the literature by independent teams of researchers and could, once collected in a catalog, offer a tool to facilitate further studies on HMXBs. The authors aim to update on previous instances of catalogs of HMXBs in the Galaxy, and provide the community easy access to the most complete set of observables on Galactic HMXBs. On top of the fixed version that is available in VizieR, they also aim to host and maintain a dynamic version that can be updated upon request from users, and where any modification will be logged. Using previous catalogs of HMXBs supplemented by listings of hard X-ray sources detected in the past 20 years, the authors produce a base set of HMXBs and candidates by means of identifier and sky coordinate cross-matches. They query SIMBAD for unreferenced HMXBs. They search for as many hard X-ray, soft X-ray, optical and infrared counterparts to the HMXBs as we can in well-known catalogs and compile their coordinates. Each HMXB is subject to a meticulous search in the literature to find relevant measurements and their original reference. The authors provide a catalog of HMXBs in the Galaxy with their best known coordinates, companion star spectral type, systemic radial velocities, component masses, orbital period, eccentricity and spin period when available. This catalog also provides the coordinates and identifiers for each counterpart found from hard X-rays to near-infrared, including counterparts from the recent Gaia DR3 catalog.

This catalog was created from data-mining the published literature. It takes into account information available through 2022. Values for binary parameters are joined with a reference in which the value was derived. Position data for which the authors have manually found a counterpart also have a specific reference; if not, then the data comes directly from the corresponding catalog.

Catalog Bibcode

2023A&A...671A.149F

Bulletin

The HMXBCAT2 database table was last updated on 15 February 2024.

References

A catalogue of high-mass X-ray binaries in the Galaxy:
from the INTEGRAL to the Gaia era.
    Fortin F., Garcia F., Simaz-Bunzel A., Chaty S.
    <Astron. Astrophys. 671, A149 (2023)>
    =2023A&A...671A.149F        (SIMBAD/NED BibCode)

Provenance

This database table was first created by the HEASARC in October 2023, based on the 2023-09 version of this catalog, found from the Binary rEvolution website. It is automatically updated in the HEASARC database within a few days of a new version being released on that website.

Parameters

Name
The X-ray source designation, with a prefix identifying the high-energy experiment which detected its emission, and a position-based string based on its 1950 coordinates, unless preceded by a 'J' in which case it is based on its J2000 coordinates.

RA
The right ascension of the source in the selected equinox. This was given in J2000 coordinates with a precision of 10^-6 decimal degress in the originating table.

Dec
The declination of the source in the selected equinox. This was given in J2000 coordinates with a precision of 10^-6 decimal degress in the originating table.

LII
The Galactic Longitude of the source. This parameter was added by the HEASARC and is computed from the provided right ascension and declination.

BII
The Galactic Latitude of the source. This parameter was added by the HEASARC and is computed from the provided right ascension and declination.

Error_Radius
The positional uncertainty, in arcseconds.

Ref_Position
The BibCode of the reference for the position of primary source.

Spect_Type
The stellar spectral type for the HMXB companion.

Ref_Spect_Type
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the stellar spectral type of the HMXB companion.

Source_Type
The HMXB source type as designated below, where multiple types may be included and separated by commas. In addition, the "?" designates an uncertain source type.

             Be   = Be HMXB
             sg   = supergiant HMXB
             SFXT = supergiant fast X-ray transient
             WR   = Wolf-Rayet

Compact_Object_Type
The source type for the compact object, designated as below, with "?" signifying uncertainty.

             BH   = black hole
             NS   = neutron star
             WD   = white dwarf

Mass_Compact_Obj
The mass of the compact object, in solar masses.

Mass_Compact_Obj_Error
The uncertainty in the mass of the compact object, in solar masses.

Ref_Mass_Compact_Obj
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the mass of the compact object.

Mass_Companion
The mass of the companion star, in solar masses.

Mass_Companion_Error
The uncertainty in the mass of the companion star, in solar masses.

Ref_Mass_Companion
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the mass of the companion star.

Orbital_Period
The orbital period of the HMXB, in days.

Orbital_Period_Error
The uncertainty in the orbital period of the HMXB, in days.

Ref_Orbital_Period
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the orbital period.

Sup_Orbital_Period
The superorbital period of the HMXB, in days.

Sup_Orbital_Period_Error
The uncertainty in the superorbital period of the HMXB, in days.

Ref_Sup_Orbital_Period
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the superorbital period of the HMXB.

Eccentricity_Limit
The limit flag ("<") for the eccentricity of the HMXB orbit. If the flag value is specified here, then the given eccentricity is an upper limit.

Eccentricity
The eccentricity of the HMXB orbit.

Eccentricity_Error
The uncertainty in the eccentricity of the HMXB orbit.

Ref_Eccentricity
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the eccentricity of the HMXB orbit.

Spin_Period
The spin period of the compact object, in seconds.

Spin_Period_Error
The uncertainty in the spin period of the compact object, in seconds.

Ref_Spin_Period
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the spin period of the compact object.

Radial_Velocity
The systemic radial velocity of the HMXB, in km/s.

Radial_Velocity_Error
The uncertainty in the systemic radial velocity of the HMXB, in km/s.

Ref_Radial_Velocity
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the radial velocity of the HMXB.

Distance
The distance to the HMXB, in parsec, based on the Gaia EDR3 Parallax (Bailer-Jones et al., 2021, CDS Cat. I/352).

Distance_Neg_Err
The negative uncertainty value in the distance, in parsec.

Distance_Pos_Err
The positive uncertainty value in the distance, in parsec.

Var_IGR_Flag
The variability flag, 'Y' or 'YY' or null, based on the INTEGRAL catalog by Bird et al., 2016 (IBISCAT) position. A value of 'Y' indicates a bursticity of > 1.1, i.e., a 10% increase in significance. A flag value of 'YY' indicates a bursticity of > 4, i.e., a 400% increase in significance, indicating a strongly variable source.

Var_Swift
The measure of variability based on the ratio of fluxes corresponding to the peak and mean flux values in Swift 2XSPS.

Var_XMM_Flag
The variability flag, Y or N, based on 4XMM-DR11.

Var_Chandra_Flag
The variability flag, Y or N, based on Chandra (CSC).

Var_Flag
This parameter contains a flag, Y or N, which indicates the overall variability of the source.

Alt_Name
The alternative source designation based on other catalogs.

AGILE_Name
The AGILE designation that matches the source.

AGILE_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the AGILE position.

AGILE_Dec
The declination of the source based on the AGILE position.

AGILE_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, of the AGILE position.

Ref_AGILE_Position
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the AGILE source position.

HEAO_Name
The source designation based on the HEAO-1 (A1) position.

HEAO_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the HEAO-1 (A1) position.

HEAO_Dec
The declination of the source based on the HEAO-1 (A1) position.

HEAO_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, based on the HEAO-1 (A1) position.

Uhuru4_Name
The source designation based on the Fourth Uhuru (4U) (UHURU4) position.

Uhuru4_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the Fourth Uhuru (4U) (UHURU4) position.

Uhuru4_Dec
The declination of the source based on the Fourth Uhuru (4U) (UHURU4) position.

Uhuru4_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, based on the Fourth Uhuru (4U) (UHURU4) catalog.

Ariel3_Name
The source designation based on the 3rd Ariel-V SSI (ARIEL3A) position.

Ariel3_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the 3rd Ariel-V SSI (ARIEL3A) position.

Ariel3_Dec
The declination of the source based on the 3rd Ariel-V SSI (ARIEL3A) position.

Ariel3_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position based on the 3rd Ariel-V SSI (ARIEL3A) position.

IGR_Name
The source designation based on the INTEGRAL (IBISCAT) position.

IGR_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the INTEGRAL (IBISCAT) position.

IGR_Dec
The declination of the source based on the INTEGRAL (IBISCAT) position.

IGR_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, based on the INTEGRAL (IBISCAT) position.

E2E_Name
The source designation based on the Einstein Observatory 2E Catalog of IPC X-Ray Sources (EINSTEIN2E).

E2E_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the Einstein Observatory 2E Catalog of IPC X-Ray Sources (EINSTEIN2E).

E2E_Dec
The declination of the source based on the Einstein Observatory 2E Catalog of IPC X-Ray Sources (EINSTEIN2E).

E2E_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, based on the Einstein Observatory 2E Catalog of IPC X-Ray Sources (EINSTEIN2E).

ROSAT_Name
The source designation based on the ROSAT (WGACAT) position.

ROSAT_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the ROSAT (WGACAT) position.

ROSAT_Dec
The declination of the source based on the ROSAT (WGACAT) position.

ROSAT_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, based on the ROSAT (WGACAT) position.

Ref_ROSAT_Position
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the ROSAT source position.

ROSATF_Name
The source designation based on ROSAT All-Sky Survey Faint Source Catalog (RASS-FSC).

ROSATF_RA
The right ascension of the source based on ROSAT All-Sky Survey Faint Source Catalog (RASS-FSC).

ROSATF_Dec
The declination of the source based on ROSAT All-Sky Survey Faint Source Catalog (RASS-FSC).

ROSATF_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, based on ROSAT All-Sky Survey Faint Source Catalog (RASS-FSC).

Fermi_Name
The source designation based on the Fermi LAT Fourth AGN (FERMILPSC) position.

Fermi_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the Fermi LAT Fourth AGN (FERMILPSC) position.

Fermi_Dec
The declination of the source based on the Fermi LAT Fourth AGN (FERMILPSC) position.

Fermi_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, based on the Fermi LAT Fourth AGN (FERMILPSC) position.

SAX_Name
The source designation based on the BeppoSAX position.

SAX_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the BeppoSAX position.

SAX_Dec
The declination of the source based on the BeppoSAX position.

SAX_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, based on the BeppoSAX position.

Ref_SAX_Position
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the BEPPOSAX source position.

Swift_Name
The source designation based on the Swift 2XSPS position.

Swift_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the Swift 2XSPS position.

Swift_Dec
The declination of the source based on the Swift 2XSPS position.

Swift_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, based on the Swift 2XSPS position.

Ref_Swift_Position
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the Swift 2XSPS source position.

XMM_Name
The source designation based on the 4XMM-DR11 position.

XMM_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the 4XMM-DR11 position.

XMM_Dec
The declination of the source based on the 4XMM-DR11 position.

XMM_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, of the source based on the 4XMM-DR11 position.

Chandra_Name
The source designation based on the Chandra CSC2 (CSC) position.

Chandra_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the Chandra CSC2 (CSC) position.

Chandra_Dec
The declination of the source based on the Chandra CSC2 (CSC) position.

Chandra_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, based on the Chandra CSC2 (CSC) position.

Ref_Chandra_Position
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the Chandra CSC2 (CSC) source position.

TwoMASS_Name
The source designation based on the 2MASS position.

TwoMASS_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the 2MASS position.

TwoMASS_Dec
The declination of the source based on the 2MASS position.

TwoMASS_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, based on the 2MASS position.

GaiaDR3_Name
The source designation based on the Gaia DR3 position.

GaiaDR3_RA
The right ascension of the source based on the Gaia DR3 position.

GaiaDR3_Dec
The declination of the source based on the Gaia DR3 position.

GaiaDR3_Error_Radius
The uncertainty in the source position, in arcsec, based on the Gaia DR3 position.

Ref_GaiaDR3_Position
The BibCode corresponding to the reference for the Gaia DR3 source position.

Class
The HEASARC Browse classification, based on the source_type.

Contact Person

Questions regarding the HMXBCAT2 database table can be addressed to the HEASARC Help Desk.

Page Author: Browse Software Development Team
Last Modified: Friday, 20-Oct-2023 20:41:07 EDT