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X-ray Properties of Young Early-type Galaxies. I. X-ray Luminosity Function of Low-mass X- ray Binaries

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Abstract

  • We have compared the combined X-ray luminosity function (XLF) of low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) detected in Chandra observations of young, post-merger elliptical galaxies with that of typical old elliptical galaxies. We find that the XLF of the "young" sample does not present the prominent high-luminosity break at LX > 5 × 1038 erg s-1 found in the old elliptical galaxy XLF. The "young" and "old" XLFs differ with a 3? statistical significance (with a probability less than 0.2% that they derive from the same underlying parent distribution). Young elliptical galaxies host a larger fraction of luminous LMXBs (LX > 5 × 1038 erg s-1) than old elliptical galaxies and the XLF of the young galaxy sample is intermediate between that of typical old elliptical galaxies and that of star-forming galaxies. This observational evidence may be related to the last major/minor mergers and the associated star formation.

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  • 2010

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